Constituents Of Blood Flashcards
What are the 2 phases of blood?
Cellular component (45%):
Red cells form 99% of blood cells
White cells and platelets
Fluid component (55%):
Plasma
What is the volume of red blood cells called?
Haematocrit
Normal haematocrit is 0.45
What is haemopoiesis?
The process of the production of blood cells and platelets which continues throughout life
Where does haemopoiesis occur in adults?
Confined to the blood marrow
What are the most primitive cells?
Stem cells
What is the lifetime of different blood cells?
Red blood cells: 120 days
Platelets: 7-10 days
White blood cells: 6 hours
Where are the precursor cells in adults found?
Axial skeleton- skull, ribs, spine, pelvis and long bones
Where are the precursor cells in children found?
In all bones
What are hormonal growth factors?
Stimulate precursor stem cells to proliferate and differentiate
What are the types of hormonal growth factors?
Epo/Erythropoietin: (hormone made in kidney) red blood cells
G-CSF: (granulocyte colony stimulating factor) white cells
Tpo: platelets
What is haemoglobin?
Carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues, where it transfers oxygen to myoglobin in muscles
What is haemoglobin formed of?
2 alpha and 2 beta chains
4 haem groups
Overall quaternary structure, due to the combination of more than two tertiary structures
What is anaemia?
Reduction in haemoglobin in blood
What is normal haemoglobin level?
12.5-15.5 g/dl
If lower: anaemic
If higher: polycthaemic ( caused by smoking, lung disease, inefficient lungs meaning less O2 is exchanged so more haemoglobin is required )
What are platelets?
Small cytoplasmic anucleate cells that block up holes in blood vessels
Where are platelets made?
Bone marrow from cells called megakaryocytes
What do platelets determine?
Determine bleeding time: PT (prothrombin time)
What is the lifespan of platelets?
5-10 days
What is reduced number in platelets called?
Thrombocytopenia (main risk is cerebral bleeding)
> 80 = increased bleeding
> 20 = spontaneous bleeding
What is high numbers in platelets called?
Thrombocytosis can lead to arterial and venous thrombosis leading to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke
What are coagulation proteins?
Enzymes produced in liver
They circulate in inactive form to make blood clot, converts soluble fibrinogen into soluble fibrin polymer
What is thrombin?
Makes platelet plug
Why is Vitamin K essential for coagulation proteins?
Essential for correct synthesis of coagulation factors (2,7,9 and 10)
What are plasma proteins?
Soluble and in plasma component
What is albumin?
Most numerous protein in plasma, produced in liver, maintain oncotic pressure
Lack of albumin results in oedema
Carries fatty acids, steroids & thyroid hormones
What are immunoglobulins?
Antibodies produced by plasma cells
IgB (most important)
IgM (all start as this)
IgA/IgE (produced in response to non-self protein antigens
When will an oxygen dissociation curve shift to the right?
When pH is decreased
When temperature is increased
When will an oxygen dissociation curve shift to the left?
When pH is increased
When temperature is decreased
Can red blood cells repair themselves?
No as they have no nucleus or mitochondria
What is a young red blood cell called?
Reticulocyte
What is Type A blood type?
Individuals always have anti-B antibodies in their plasma.
A antigen is co-dominant
What is Type B blood type?
Individual always have anti-A antibodies in their plasma.
B antigen is co-dominant
What is Type AB blood type?
Have neither anti-A or anti-B antibodies in their plasma, has A+B antigens on surface of red blood cells
UNIVERSAL RECIPIENT
What is Type O blood type?
Both anti-A and anti-B antibodies (has no A or B antigens) in their plasma
Type O is a UNIVERSAL DONOR since don’t have A or B antigens on surface of red blood cells
O antigen is RECESSIVE
What are anti-A/anti-B etc antibodies known as?
Anti-erythrocyte antibodies / Natural antibodies
What would happen if a Type A person was transfused Type B blood?
1) The anti-B antibodies in the recipients blood would attack the transfused blood
2) The anti-A antibodies in the donor blood would attack the recipients blood however this is usually of little consequence since the transfused antibodies become so diluted in the recipients plasma that they are ineffective at inducing a response
It is the destruction of the transfused cells by recipients antibodies that produces problems
What is Rhesus?
C,D,E antigens
D antigen is most important