HEMATOLOGY SECTION Flashcards
Who discovered closed circulation of blood?
William Harvey
Blood flows in two loops: pulmonary and circulatory.
Who provided the first accurate description of red blood cells (RBCs)?
Anton von Leeuwenhoek
Who is known as the father of Hematology?
William Hewson
Discovered white blood cells (WBCs), lymphatic circulation, and fibrinogen.
What did William Hewson discover about coagulation?
He discovered the fundamentals of coagulation and Glauber’s salt as the first anticoagulant.
What is the role of the bone marrow in hematopoiesis?
Franz Ernst Christian Neumann discovered it is responsible for blood cell and plasma production.
Who described platelets as ‘blutplatchen’?
Giulio Bizzozero
He described their role in hemostasis and thrombosis.
What is hemostasis?
The process to prevent or stop bleeding.
What is thrombosis?
The process of formation of thrombus (blood clot).
Who developed the first method of blood cell staining?
Paul Ehrlich
Identified three types of granulocytes, mast cells, and megaloblasts.
What are mast cells?
Immune cells present in connective tissue that mediate allergic and hypersensitivity reactions.
What are megaloblasts?
Immature RBC precursors that may indicate anemia.
Who developed the Wright stain?
James Homer Wright
Developed the more refined Wright-Romanowsky stain.
What is the Wright-Romanowsky stain?
A stain with acidic (red to orange eosin) and basic (methylene blue) components.
Who was the first to perform a manual blood count?
Karl Vierordt
His method involved drawing blood using a capillary tube.
Who developed a method for RBC blood count without manual counting?
George Oliver
His method was based on visual measurement of light loss.
What innovation did Mercandier et al. introduce in blood counting?
Utilized a photodetector for measuring light absorption.
Who developed impedance measurement for blood counting?
Wallace Coulter
He based it on the fact that RBCs are poor electrical conductors.
What is hematology?
The study of blood and its components.
What is blood?
A liquid connective tissue responsible for supplying nutrients and discarding wastes.
What are the two components of blood?
Plasma and formed elements (WBCs and platelets).
What is the composition of plasma?
55% of blood volume, made up of 91.5% H2O, 7% plasma proteins, and 1.5% other solutes.
What are red blood cells (RBCs)?
Biconcave, anucleated cells that contain hemoglobin and carry oxygen.
What is central pallor in RBCs?
The pale center groove of an RBC.
What are white blood cells (WBCs)?
Nucleated cells that defend the body against infections.
What are the types of leukocytes?
Granulocytes: Neutrophils, Eosinophils, Basophils.
What is the function of neutrophils?
Phagocytic cells that are the first to respond in bacterial infections.
What is the function of eosinophils?
Involved in helminthic and parasitic infections, also in phagocytosis.
What is the function of basophils?
Involved in allergic and hypersensitivity reactions.
What are Agranulocytes?
Agranulocytes are white blood cells with cytoplasmic granules that are not obviously observed.
What are the two main types of Agranulocytes?
The two main types of Agranulocytes are Monocytes and Lymphocytes.
Describe Monocytes.
Monocytes have a horseshoe or kidney-shaped nucleus with brain-like convolutions and a blue-gray colored, foamy cytoplasm with very fine azurophilic granules, giving a ‘ground glass’ appearance. They make up 2-11% of the white blood cell population.
Known as Macrophages when they leave the bloodstream.
Describe Lymphocytes.
Lymphocytes are round and slightly indented, occupying the majority of the cell area. Their cytoplasm is scanty with ‘Robin’s egg blue coloration’ and they make up 18-42% of the white blood cell population.
What are the types of Lymphocytes?
The types of Lymphocytes include B Lymphocytes, T Lymphocytes, and Natural Killer Cells.
What is the role of Macrophages?
Macrophages protect the body against pathogens such as Mycobacterium spp. and are predominant in responding to viral infections.
What are Platelets or Thrombocytes?
Platelets or Thrombocytes are cell fragments of megakaryocytes responsible for hemostasis and thrombosis. They contain many vesicles and have no nucleus.
What is a Complete Blood Count?
A Complete Blood Count (CBC) is a commonly preferred blood test used in routine check-ups and in the diagnosis of diseases such as infections, anemia, immune diseases, and blood cancers.
What does Hemoglobin Determination diagnose?
Hemoglobin Determination is used to diagnose anemia, defined as hemoglobin levels of <120 g/L in women and <130 g/L in men according to WHO.
What is Hematocrit?
Hematocrit, also known as Packed Cell Volume or Erythrocyte Volume Fraction, is the volume percentage of RBCs in a whole blood sample.
The conjunction of Hematocrit and Hemoglobin determination in diagnosing anemia is called the H/H Test.
Is RBC Count clinically significant?
No, RBC Count is not used by physicians as automated RBC counts are highly erroneous.
What is the significance of WBC Count?
WBC Count is clinically significant, with leukocytosis (high WBC) seen in infections, allergies, and leukemic states, while leukopenia (low WBC) is seen in viral infections, autoimmune disorders, and immunodeficiency.
What does Platelet Count quantify?
Platelet Count quantifies the number of thrombocytes in blood samples.
What is WBC Differential Count?
WBC Differential Count involves observing 100 WBCs and classifying them into types.
Mnemonic for WBC types based on numbers: Never Let Monkeys Eat Bananas.
What is RBC Morphology Examination?
RBC Morphology Examination is the microscopic observation of the size and shape of RBCs.
What are the classifications of RBC size?
RBC size classifications include Normocytic (normal size 7-8 um), Microcytic (small <7 um), and Macrocytic (large >8 um).
What are the classifications of RBC color?
RBC color classifications include Normochromic (balanced central pallor), Hypochromic (big central pallor), and Hyperchromic (small central pallor).
What are RBC Indices?
RBC Indices aid in the morphological classification of anemia, including Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin, and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration.
What does Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) indicate?
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) indicates the average volume of a single erythrocyte, determining cell size.
What does Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin indicate?
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin indicates the average amount of hemoglobin per erythrocyte, determining cell color.
What does Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration indicate?
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration indicates the average concentration of hemoglobin per unit volume (100 mL), determining cell color.
How are reference ranges in CBC forms established?
Reference ranges in CBC forms are set and established by clinical laboratories.
