Haemopoiesis, Erythropoiesis and Iron Flashcards
What area is the bone marrow limited to in adults?
Pelvis, sternum, skull, ribs, vertebrae
What does the reticuloendothelial system (RES) so and what are the main organs in the system?
Remove old and senescent blood cells
Spleen and liver
Which phagocytic cells are contained in the RES?
Monocytes Macrophages Kupffer cells Tissue histiocytes Microglial cells in CNS
What is the lifetime of red blood cells?
120 days
Different haemoglobin types in an adult and foetus
Adult: alpha and beta
Fetus: alpha and gamma
Control of erythropoesis
- Reduced pO2 detected in interstitial peritubular cells in kidney
- Increased production of erythropoietin (hormone)
- Erythropoietin stimulates maturation and release of red blood cells from marrow
- Haemoglobin rises
- pO2 rises
- Erythropoietin production falls
Ferritin and haemosiderin
Soluble protein that stores iron
Macrophage iron, insoluble
Where does most of the iron in our body come from?
Breakdown of red blood cells
Iron stored in liver cells
95% as ferritin
5% as haemosiderin
What does transferrin do?
Binds to ferrous iron (Fe2+) and transports iron across apical surface of duodenum and upper jejunum
Fe2+ inside the enterocyte can either be:
- Stored as ferritin
- Transported into blood stream
How do babies take up iron?
Have receptors called lactoferrin, which take up iron from milk
What is iron exported out of the cell by?
Ferroportin
How is iron taken into red blood cells (and other cells)?
Binding of iron transferrin complex to transferrin receptor (TfR)
What enhances and inhibits the absorption of iron?
Enhances - vitamin C, ascorbic acid
Inhibits - tea, calcium/potassium