Erythropoiesis Flashcards

1
Q

Properties of mature RBCs

A

packed with Hb
no nucleus or mitochondria
no DNA/RNA - no cell division

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Life span of a RBC

A

120 days

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

which organ removed fragile old RBCs from circulation

A

the spleen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

where are new cells produced

A

red bone marrow

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what are new RBCs produced from

A

pluripotent stem cells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what are RBCs broken down to

A

globular haemoglobin proteins are broken down to amino acids
Haem group is converted to bilirubin
Iron binds to transferrin in the blood and is recycled

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

where does bilirubin go

A

transported to the liver and secreted into bile

it’s breakdown products colour urine and faeces

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

what regulates erythrocyte production

A

EPO- erythropoietin, released by the kidneys

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what causes the kidney to release EPO

A

hypoxia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

steps of erythropoiesis

A
  1. pro erythroblast (derived from myeloid stem cells)
  2. polychromatic erythroblast (Hb appears in cytoplasm)
  3. orthochromatic erythroblast (nucleus shrinks, full complement of Hb in cytoplasm)
  4. erythroblast extrudes nucleus
  5. reticulocyte into circulation
  6. mature erythrocyte
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

structure of a RBC and its importance

A

Biconcave disc:

  • increased surface area
  • Flexible membrane so that cells can squeeze through capillaries in single file
  • decreased diffusion distance
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what is the largest component of blood

A

plasma (55%)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what % of blood composition do platelets + white blood cells make up

A

1%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what % of blood is made up of RBCs in males, and in females

A

males- 40-50%

famles- 36-46%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what is haematocrit

A

the volume of RBCs as a % of total blood volume

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

how is RBC ion balance and cell volume regulated

A

Na+/K+ ATPases (the sodium pump) energy dependent process

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

through what route does a RBC synthesise ATP

A
Anaerobic glycolysis
(no mitochondria in RBC so cannot do aerobic glycolysis)
18
Q

what component from glycolysis keeps iron in Fe2+ state

A

NADH

19
Q

what is produced when Oxygen is low in order to release oxygen from haemoglobin

A

2,3 biphosphoglycerate

20
Q

what is glutathione

A

tripeptide consisting of glutamate, cysteine and glycine

21
Q

what other mechanism is some glucose metabolised through

A

hexose monophosphate shunt

22
Q

another name for the hexose monophosphate shunt

A

pentose phosphate pathway

23
Q

what does the pentose phosphate pawthay produce

A

nucleic acids and NADPH

24
Q

role of glutathione

A

combats oxidative stress (i.e. it is an anti-oxidant)

25
Q

what are free radicals

A

highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons

26
Q

what happens if there is excessive free radicals or inadequate antioxidant defence mechanisms?

A

damage of cellular structures and enzymes

27
Q

what is the importance of glutathione

A

helps protect against the toxic effects of free radicals

essential to de-toxify hydrogen peroxide

28
Q

what is needed to produce glutathione

A

NADPH from pentose phosphate pathway

29
Q

which condition causes a lack of glutathione

A

glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency

30
Q

which form of glutathione acts as an anti-oxidant

A

the reduced form

31
Q

how is CO2 carried to the lungs

A
  1. dissolved in solution
  2. bound to Hb (carbamino-haemoglobin)
  3. as bicarbonate (60%)
32
Q

how is the movement of CO2 facilitated

A

by carbonic anhydrase

33
Q

what is haemoglobin comprised of

A

4 globin (protein) sub-units, each containing a single haem molecule

34
Q

what does each haem molecule contain

A

single Fe2+ Ion

porphyrin ring

35
Q

what can each haem group bind to

A

one O2 molecule

36
Q

what does haemoglobin synthesis require

A

synthesis of globin chains- 4 per molecule of Hb
synthesis of porphyrin ring (haem group)
insertion of Fe2+ into haem

37
Q

normal Hb concentration for male and females

A

male- 130-180 g/l

female- 115-165 g/l

38
Q

differences between fetal and adult Hb

A

fetal Hb has a higher affinity for O2
has a lower affinity for 2,3 BPG
Facilitates the transfer of O2 from the mother to the foetus

39
Q

factors that shift the oxygen haemoglobin curve to the right

A

Increased 2,3 DIphosphoglycerate, increased temperature, increased H+

40
Q

what does a shift to the right mean

A

more oxygen released at tissues

41
Q

what pathway generates 2,3 diphosphoglycerate

A

Rapapoport-Lubering Shunt

42
Q

name of the pathway that generates ATP and NADH by anaerobic glycolysis

A

Embden-Myerhof pathway