Full blood count Flashcards
What is the meaning of each of these phrases
- Haematocrit
- Mean cell Hb
- Mean cell volume
- Mean cell haemoglobin concentration
- Reticulocyte count
- Haematocrit- Packed cell volume (PCV) -ratio of volume of RBC to volume of total blood
- Mean cell Hb - Amount of Hb in a cell
- Mean cell volume- Cell size
- Mean cell haemoglobin conc- Conc of Hb in a cell
- Reticulocyte count- number of immature red cells
What is the equation for MCV
MCV = packed cell volume / Red cell count
What is the equation of mean cell Hb
Mean cell Hb = total haemoglobin/ total red cell count
What is the equation for Mean cell Hb conc
Mean cell Hb conc = Haemoglobin / haematocrit
What are the features of microcytic anaemia
- Low Hb with low MCV
- On blood film cells will look pale due to less Hb
- Caused by iron deficiency
What are the stages of iron deficiency
- Normal= red cell iron and iron stores in bone marrow are normal
- Latent iron deficiency- Red cell iron normal and iron stores depleted in bone marrow
- Iron deficiency anaemia- red cells are hypo chromic and microcytic and bone marrow stores depleted
Describe the features of microcytic anaemia
- Big cells and very few of them
- Low Hb and high MCV
- On blood film- less RBCs but bigger due to problems with cell division- WBCs also change due to this
-Vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies - no transfusion unless severe symptoms
What are the features of a neutrophil
- Blood film shows granules in cytoplasm- females may have a bar body
- 9-15 micrometers diameter
- Dense nucleus 2-5 lobes
- Pale pink granular cytoplasm
- Primary granules have enzymes - acid phosphatase and acid hydrolyses
- Secondary granules from myelocyte stage have collahnase, lysozyme and lactoferrin
Functions
-Infection fighting -Chemotaxis -Phagocytosis -Kill phagocytosed bacteria
What are the features of an eosinophil
- Bright pink bilobed nucleus
- 12-17 micrometers- very big
- Bilobed nucleus
- Pale blue cytoplasm and pink granules
- Stay in circulation longer
Function
- Similar to neutrophils -Inflam exudates -Allergic response
- Hypersensitivity reactions -Antibody dependent damage to parasites
What are the features of a basophil
- Dark granules cover the nucleus
- 12-17 micrometers
- Bilobed nucelus, dark blue granules overlying the nucleus
- Become mast cells in tissue
Function
- immediate hypersensitivity reactions
- IgE attachment sites
- Degranulation and histamine release
What are the features of a monocyte
- Bigger
- Large cells with bilobed nucleus, pale blue cytoplasm
- 15-30 micrometers in diameter
Function
- Rare- not on routine blood film
- Kills microbes
- Release cytokines
What are the features of a lymphocyte
- small no cytoplasm 7-12 micrometers
- 2 types B and T lymphocytes -can’t tell on microscope
- Dense nuclear chromatin and blue cytoplasm
- Activated during infection- large amount of cytoplasm with granules
What are the key differences between T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes
- Site of origin - T lymphocytes= thymus B lymphocytes= Bone marrow
- Location- T lymphocytes found in spleen and parafollicular nodes, B lymphocytes found in germinal centres- lymph nodes and spleen
- Ratio- T-lymphocytes= 80% (mainly CD4) B-lymphocytes= 20%
- Functions - T= CD8, CD4 and T cells help antibody production B= immunoglobulins act as antigen receptors and humeral immunity by antibody generation
Genes- T= TCR, alpha, beta, gamma and delta genes rearranged
B- IgH, IgK and Iglamba genes rearranged
What are platelets and where are they made
- Small cellular fragments involves in clotting and bleeding
- Megakaryocyte- what platelets come from - produced in bone marrow
- Large nucleus, cytoplasm full of platelets released into cytoplasm
What is the consequence of low large platelets
- Immune thrombocytopenia purpura
- Production of an antibody that destroys platelets causing decreased platelets but increased platelet turn over causing a large increase in immature platelets
Treatment: Steroids, immunoglobulin, anti-D and splenectomy
No platelet transfusion unless life threatening
