Chapter 4 Flashcards
What factors control erythropoiesis?
EPO - most produced by kidney in response to renal tissue hypoxia
- smaller amounts produced in bone marrow macrophages and erythroid progenitors
What affects the effect of EPO?
Enhanced by thyroxine, GH and corticosteroids
Inhibited by inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, TNF)
Describe the stages of erythropoiesis
Pluripotent stem cells develop into erythroid precursors - burst forming units (BFU-E) (under influence of IL-3)
BFU-E - form colony-forming units (CFU-E)
CFU-E => rubriblasts (under influence of EPO, stem cell factor, IGF-I, glucocorticoids, IL-3, IL-6)
Rubriblasts => prorubricytes => basophilic/polychromatic rubricytes => metarubricytes - nucleus condensed, extruded and phagocytosed by nurse macrophage
What is the maturation time from BFU-E to reticulocyte?
7-9 days
How soon after formation are reticulocytes released into the circulation? How long do they take to mature?
24-48h
24-48h
Where do reticulocytes mature?
Mostly in the circulation, some in the spleen
How are reticulocytes different to RBCs?
Larger
Less Hb
Contain clumps of ribosomal RNA
How is a manual reticulocyte count performed?
Stain with new methylene blue or cresyl green
What are the possible causes of an increased MCV?
Regenerative anaemia
FeLV
Myeloproliferative disease
Familial macrocytosis (Toy/Miniature Poodles)
Hereditary stomatocytosis (Malamutes and Mini Schnauzers)
Aged blood samples
Autoagglutination
Hyperosmolality (ie hyperna++)
What are stomatocytes?
What breeds are affected by stomatocytosis - how does it affect them?
Cup-shaped RBCs formed when RBC take up excess sodium and water
Miniature Schnauzers - asymptomatic
Alaskan Malamutes - concurrent chondrodysplasia
What causes decreased MCV?
Iron deficiency
Liver disease
PSS
Anaemia of chronic disease
Familial microcytosis (Akitas)
Hyponatraemia
What causes increased MCHC?
Haemolysis - in vitro and in vivo
Lipaemia
Heinz bodies
Marked eccentrocytosis
Hyponatraemia
What breed is affected by microcytosis?
Akitas
What causes decreased MCHC?
Regenerative anaemia
Iron deficiency
Aged blood samples
How do dog and cat reticulocytes differ?
Dogs - aggregate
Cats - aggregate and punctate (smaller, contain less RNA).
When do reticulocytes appear and peak after haemorrhage?
Appear - 48 hours
Peak - 4-7 days
What are the timings of reticulocyte development in cats?
Aggregate => punctate - 12 hours
Punctate => mature - 10 days
What is a normal level of punctate reticulocyte counts in a cat?
10%
How should punctate/aggregate reticulocytes be counted?
Aggregate - reticulocytes
Punctate - RBCs (mature)
What do increased punctate reticulocytes indicate?
Regenerative response 2-4 weeks earlier
How is the absolute reticulocyte count calculated?
ARC = % reticulocytes x RBC x 10
What features of regeneration can be seen on blood films?
Polychromasia, anisocytosis
Howell-Jolly bodies (mostly cats)
Target cells
Nucleated RBCs
Basophilic stippling (rare)
What can circulating nucleated RBCs indicate?
Regeneration (ONLY if polychromasia)
Bone marrow disease
Splenic disease
Lead poisoning
When can polychromasia and increased reticulocyte counts be seen in the absence of anaemia?
In what breed is this most evident?
Stress, excitement - adrenaline leads to splenic contraction.
Greyhounds
How to RBCs adapt to chronic anaemia?
2-3-DPG upregulated = lowered Hb affinity for O2
What are common blood film findings in splenic HSA? What other conditions can cause similar changes?
Schistocytes, acanthocytes, keratocytes
Haemangioma, splenic torsion, DIC
When can haemorrhage be accompanied by elevated serum bilirubin?
Bleeding into tissue - macrophages reabsorb and break down RBCs
What is a leucoerythroblastic response and when is it seen?
Presence of immature RBCs and granulocytic precursors in the circulation.
Acute blood loss, IMHA
Describe the appearance of spherocytes
Small, round, dense cell, no central pallor
What conditions are spherocytes associated with?
IMHA, snake bite, (zinc toxicity), (bee stings).
Describe the appearance of schistocytes
Fragmented RBCs with pointed, irregular projections
What conditions are schistocytes associated with?
DIC, HSA, splenic torsion, iron-deficiency anaemia, myelofibrosis, heart failure, doxorubicin toxicity, caval syndrome
Describe the appearance of keratocytes
Spiculated RBC with 2 horn-like projections
What conditions are keratocytes associated with?
DIC, HSA, vasculitis, caval syndrome
Describe the appearance of acanthocytes
Irregular symmetrical projections
What conditions are acanthocytes associated with?
Liver disease, HSA, DIC, lymphoma, glomerulonephritis, renal disease, internal haemorrhage
Describe the appearance of echinocytes
Small, regular surface projections
What conditions are echinocytes associated with
Artefact (thick smear), snake bite, glomerulonephritis, uraemia, neoplasia, pyruvate kinase deficiency
Describe the appearance of codocytes
Target cells - rim of Hb surrounding pale area and central ‘button’ of Hb
What conditions are codocytes associated with?
Regenerative anaemia, renal/hepatic/lipid disorders
Describe the appearance of ovalocytes/dacrocytes
Oval/tear shaped
What conditions are ovalocytes/dacrocytes associated with?
Myelofibrosis, neoplasia, (artefact)
Describe the appearance of eccentrocytes
Clear area on one side of red cell bordered by membrane
What conditions are associated with eccentrocytes?
Oxidative injury (eg zinc)