Introduction to Haematology Flashcards
What are the components of blood?
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What is found in the plasma of blood?
Clotting or coagulation factors
Albumin
Antibodies
What is found in the ‘buffy coat’ of blood?
Platelets
Leukocytes
What are the functions of blood?
-
Transport
- Red cells
- Gases – oxygen and carbon dioxide
- Plasma
- Nutrients
- Waste
- Hormones (messages)
- Red cells
-
Maintenance of vascular integrity
- Platelets and clotting factors
- Prevention of leaks
- Anticoagulants and fibrinolytic
- Prevention of blockages
- Platelets and clotting factors
-
Protection from pathogens
- Granulocytes/monocytes
- Phagocytosis and killing
- Lymphocytes
- Antigen recognition and antibody formation
- Granulocytes/monocytes
What cells allows blood to achieve the function of transport?
- Red cells
- Gases – oxygen and carbon dioxide
- Plasma
- Nutrients
- Waste
- Hormones (messages)
What cells allow blood to achieve the function of maintanence of vascular integrity?
- Platelets and clotting factors
- Prevention of leaks
- Anticoagulants and fibrinolytic
- Prevention of blockages
What cells allow blood to achieve the function of protection from pathogens?
- Granulocytes/monocytes
- Phagocytosis and killing
- Lymphocytes
- Antigen recognition and antibody formation
How can haematological abnormalities be classified?
- High levels
- Increased rate of production
- Decreased rate of loss
- Low levels
- Decreased rate of production
- Increased rate of loss
- Altered function
Where does haematopoiesis happen?
Bone marrow
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What is the formation of blood cellular components called?
Haematopoiesis
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Describe the process of haematopoiesis?
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What are myeloid cells?
All cells apart from lymphocytes, which are lymphoid cells
What stem cells are found in the bone marrow/blood?
Pluripotent haematopoietic stem cell
Mesenchymal stem cells
What do mesenchymal stem cells give rise to?
- Osteoclasts
- Liver
- Skin
- Blood vessels
What are properties of stem cells?
- Totipotent
- Self-renewal
- Home to marrow niche
- CXCR4 (antagonistic plerixafor)
How do stem cells grow?
Grow by binary fission and flux through differentiation pathways to amplify numbers:
- Flux regulated by hormones/growth factors
- Some used therapeutically (erythropoietin, G-CSF, thrombopoietin agonists)
Where is bone marrow located?
Located within bones:
- In most bones in children, axial in elderly
Describe the structure of bone marrow?
- Stroma and sinusoids
Describe the erythrocyte differentiation anatomy?
- Erythroblast -> reticulocyte -> erythrocyte (red blood cell)
What is the correct name of a red blood cell?
Erythrocyte
What hormone governs the development of erythrocytes?
Hormone that governs this is erythropoietin:
- Made by kidney in response to hypoxia
Where is erythropoitin made and in response to what?
- Made by kidney in response to hypoxia
What investigation is used to measure red cell production?
Reticulocyte count
What are some pathologies related to red blood cells?
- Polycythaemia
- Too many red cells
- Anaemia
- Too few red cells
- Aetiology
- Decreased production: deficiency in haematoinics (iron, folate, B12) or congenital (thalassaemias)
- Increased loss: bleeding, haemolysis
What is the aetiology of anaemia?
- Decreased production: deficiency in haematoinics (iron, folate, B12) or congenital (thalassaemias)
- Increased loss: bleeding, haemolysis
What is the medical term for too many red cells?
Polycythaemia
How can anaemia be classified?
- Microcytes/macrocytes (big or small cells)
What terms describe big and small red cells?
- Microcytes/macrocytes (big or small cells)
How many red cells can be made per day?
Can make about 10g/L/day of red cells
What are platelets released from?
Released from megakaryocytes
What is the function of platelets?
- Haemostasis (and immune)
What hormone regulates the production of platelets?
Production regulated by thrombopoietin:
- Produced in liver
- Regulation by platelet mass feedback
Where is thrombopoietin produced and what provides regulation?
Production regulated by thrombopoietin:
- Produced in liver
- Regulation by platelet mass feedback
What is the lifespan of a platelet?
7 days
What are some pathologies related to platelets?
- Thrombocytosis
- Too many platelets
- Aetiology – myeloid malignancies such as Dominic Culligan
- Thrombocytopenia
- Too few platelets
- Aetiology – marrow failure, immune destruction (such as in ITP or Henry Watson)
- Altered function
- Aetiology – drugs (aspirin, clopidogrel, abciximab)