Components of blood Flashcards
what is blood?
a complex fluid which has white and red blood cells in it
what does blood do?
serves as a transport and distribution system
what are the three types of blood cells?
- erythrocytes
- leucocytes
- thrombocytes
what do erythrocytes do?
transport oxygen from the lungs to body tissue
what gives erythrocytes their biconcave shape?
when they mature they lose their nucleus
what is a positive of erythrocytes losing their nucleus?
more surface area which allows more gas exchange
what are the average numbers for a dog and cat of erythrocytes in the blood?
- dog - 5.5-8.5 x10 (12)/litre
- cat - 5-10 x10 (12)/litre
what colour is a single fresh RBC?
pale green-yellow colour
what colour are erythrocytes when they are packed together?
Red due to haemoglobin molecules
where does erythropoiesis take place?
Red bone marrow
what is the life span of red blood cells in a dog and cat?
- dog - 120 days
- cat - 68 days
how are aged/damaged erythrocytes removed?
by the macrophages
what hormone stimulates erythropoieis?
erythropoietin
what is it called when haemoglobin binds with oxygen?
oxyhaemoglobin
what is it called when carbon dioxide binds with haemoglobin?
carbaminohaemoglobin
where is carbon dioxide released from?
tissue cells to dissolve in the plasma
what is a leucocyte?
White blood cell
what is a young red blood cell called?
reticulocyte
does a leucocyte have a nucleus?
yes
when do leucocytes migrate out of blood vessels into tissue?
when there is an infection
what are the two categories of leucocytes?
- agranular
- granular
what are the granular leucocytes?
- neutrophils
- eosinophils
- basophils
what are the agranular leucocytes?
- lymphocytes
- monocyte
what are some characteristics of a lymphocyte?
- spherical
- agranular
- smallest white blood cell
- large nucleus surrounded by small ring with grey/blue cytoplasm