EAP Ch. 11 - Blood Flashcards
What is the general function of blood?
Material transport, regulation, and protection
Physical Characteristics of Blood
Describe: Amount, Color, pH, and Viscosity
- Amount: Formed elements = blood cells (up to 48%) and liquid portion = plasma (up to 62%)
- Color: Arterial blood (more oxygen) = bright red vs. venous blood (less oxygen) = dark red
- pH: ~7.4 (slightly alkaline). Venous = lower d/t more CO2. Overall less acidic d/t pairs of chemicals (such carbonic acid and sodium bicarbonate)
- Viscosity (thickness): thicker than water d/t blood cells and plasma. Contributes to blood pressure
Plasma
Describe makeup/function of plasma and plasma proteins
- 91% water - helps movement/transport.
- Plasma proteins: prothrombin and fibrinogen (clotting factors) synthesized in liver and activated to form a clot in a ruptured or damage blood vessel. Albumin (also liver) is the most abundant plasma protein and maintains blood pressure. Globulins (also liver) are plasma proteins that carry minerals - immunoglobulin are the antibodies produced by lymphocytes.
- Carries body heat, which is a byproduct of cell respiration (the production of ATP in cells)
Blood Cells
Describe makeup, how its measure, and what hemocytoblasts are
- Only cell in the body that doesn’t have a nucleus.
- Can be measured during CBC (blood work) via hematocrit (test) - which measures % of RBCs and plasma after centrifusion.
- Contain the protein hemoglobin, which gives them the ability to carry oxygen. Iron bonds to the oxygen and makes RBCs red.
- Stem cells are unspecialized cells that may develop in several ways. The stem cells of the red bone marrow may also be called hemocytoblasts (i.e., blood cell producers)
Blood cells
Describe: Hypoxia, erythropoietin, reticulocyts, normoblasts
- Hypoxia (lack of oxygen) - kidneys will product a hormone called erythropoietin, which stimulates the red bone marrow to increase the rate of RBC production (and thus oxygen)
- Reticulocytes and normoblasts are types of RBCs that aren’t fully developed - large amount means not enough mature RBCc to carry necessary oxygen, such as after hemorrhage, malaria, or Rh disease.
Blood cells
Describe: extrinsic/intrinsic factor and macrophage
- Vitamin B12 contains the mineral cobalt = extrinsic factor (source is from food) & intrinsic factor = a chemical that combines with the B12 in food to prevent its digestion and promote its absorption in the small intestine. A deficiency in either = pernicious anemia.
- Macrophage - destroy RBCs when they get old
Blood cells
Describe: Bilirubin, jaundice (including 3 types)
- Heme is a part of hemoglobin molecule, which is waste product converted into bilirubin by macrophages. Liver removes - if not, backs up causing jaundice.
- Jaundice can be a sign of liver disease such as hepatitis or cirrhosis (i.e., hepatic jaundice because problem is in the liver) vs. pre-hepatic jaundice (or hemolytic jaundice - problem is before liver - rapid destruction of RBCs such as in sickle-cell anemia, malaria, and Rh disease - liver can’t excrete bilirubin fast enough) vs. posthepatic jaundice (or obstructive jaundice - problem is after liver - obstruction by something like gallstones causes bilirubin to backup)
Blood cells
Describe blood types
Type A has A antigens and B antibodies. Type B has B antigens and A antibodies. Type AB has both A and B antigens and no antibodies (universal receiver). Type O has no antigens and both A and B antibodies (universal donor). Rh factor (+ or -) means whether or not you have the antibodies to Rh.
Blood cells
Describe anemia, including 4 types
- Anemia: a deficiency of red blood cells, or insufficient hemoglobin within the red blood cells.
- Iron-deficiency anemia: lack of dietary iron = insufficient hemoglobin. Possibly normal RBC and hematocrit levels, but always low hemoglobin.
- Pernicious anemia: Vitamin B12 deficiency makes RBCs large, misshapen, and fragile or lack of intrinsic factor due to autoimmune destruction of the parietal cells of the stomach lining.
- Aplastic anemia: suppression of the red bone marrow, with decreased production of RBCs, WBCs, and platelets. Caused by radiation, chemicals, medications, etc.
- Hemolytic anemia: any disorder that causes rupture of RBCs before the end of their normal life span. Sickle-cell anemia, Rh disease, and Malaria are causes.
Blood cells
Describe: Rh disease of the newborn
Rh disease of the newborn: If mother has Rh+ and baby is Rh- she may get Rh- negative in blood through placenta and will create Rh- antibodies. During 2nd birth, if the child is also Rh- her antibodies will destroy the baby’s blood cells. Treated with RhoGAM to prevent Rh- antibody creation.
White Blood Cells (leukocytes)
Describe WBCs, including types
- Fewer than RBCs in blood b/c they usually dispersed throughout body doing work
- Type of leukocytes: Granular (neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils) vs. agranular (lymphocytes and monocytes). A differential WBC count (part of a CBC) is the percentage of each.
White Blood Cells (leukocytes)
Describe WBC’s function, types of lymphocytes, and leukocytosis/leukopenia
- Function is immunity. Neutrophils and monocytes phagocytize pathogens. Eosinophils detoxify foreign proteins and phagocytize anything labeled with antibodies. Basophils contain heparin (prevent blood clotting) and histamine (causes inflammation).
- Lymphocytes are broken into T cells, which recognize and destroy foreign antigens; B cells that become plasma cells that produce antibodies - both provide “memory” (i.e., immunity); Natural killer cells - chemical rupture membrane of foreign cells
- A high WBC count (leukocytosis) is often an indication of infection. Leukopenia is a low WBC count, which may be present in the early stages of diseases such as tuberculosis.
White Blood Cells (leukocytes)
Describe: Leukemia, Human leukocyte antigens
- Leukemia: overproduction of immature white blood cells that cannot perform their normal functions, and the person becomes very susceptible to infection.
- Human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) are antigen on WBCs that are representative of the antigens present on all the cells of an individual. These are our ‘self’ antigens that help us determine if other cells are foreign or not. The closer the HLA match of donated organs the less immunosuppressants are needed.
Complete Blood Count
Describe the meaning of a high or low value for the following measurements: RBCs, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, Reticulocytes, WBCs (total), Neutrophils, Eosinophils, Basophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Platelets
- Red blood cells: polycythemia > anemia
- Hemoglobin: polycythemia > iron deficiency
- Hematocrit: polycythemia, heavy smoking > anemia
- Reticulocytes: insufficiency of mature RBC > RBM suppression
- White blood cells (total): leukocytosis > leukopenia
- Neutrophils: infection, inflammation > radiation, chemotherapy for cancer
- Eosinophils: allergies, parasitic infection > corticosteroid excess
- Basophils: allergies > cancer
- Lymphocytes: many viral disease > HIV/AIDS, severe burns, cancer, radiation
- Monocytes: many viral disease, chronic inflammation > corticosteroid excess
- Platelets: not considered a clinical condition, but may follow removal of the spleen > thrombocytopenia that may be idiopathic or accompany aplastic anemia
Platelets (thrombocytes)
Describe: Megakaryocytes, thrombopoietin, theombocytopenia
Platelets are fragments of cells.Some of the stem cells in the red bone marrow differentiate into large cells called megakaryocytes. Thrombopoietin is a hormone produced by the liver that increases the rate of platelet production. Thrombocytopenia = low platelet count.
