Introduction to Haematology Flashcards

1
Q

When you centrifuge blood what three layers does it produce?

A

Plasma
Buffy coat
Red blood cells

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2
Q

What can be found in the plasma layer of centrifuged blood?

A

Clotting or coagulation factors
Albumin
Antibodies

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3
Q

What is found in the buffy coat?

A

Platelets

White cells

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4
Q

What are some features of stem cells?

A

Totipotent (can differentiate into all cells of the blood)
Self-renewing
Regulated by hormones

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5
Q

Where is bone marrow mostly found?

A

Bones (esp. axial in elderly)

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6
Q

What is the appearance of bone marrow?

A

Stroma + sinusoids

Fat cells

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7
Q

What hormone regulates erythropoiesis? What organ produces it?

A

EPO (erythropoietin) made in kidney in response to hypoxia

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8
Q

What is a normal reticulocyte count?

A

Usually about 1%

Can rise to 10% if you are bleeding

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9
Q

What is reticulocyte count essentially a measure of?

A

Red cell production (as they are the early RBCs)

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10
Q

Do reticulocytes have a nucleus?

A

Like RBCs they do not

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11
Q

What is polycythaemia?

A

Too many red cells

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12
Q

What red cells do you see in renal failure?

A

May have burr cells (cells that look like sea urchins)

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13
Q

What regulates platelet production? Where is it made?

A

Thrombopoitein

Liver

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14
Q

What is the lifespan of a platelet?

A

7 days

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15
Q

What things may cause thrombocytosis?

A
Reactive thrombocytosis (to cancer, infection, bleeding etc.) 
Myeloid malignancies
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16
Q

What may cause thrombocytopenia?

A

Marrow failure

Immune destruction

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17
Q

Which drugs can alter the function of platelets?

A

Aspirin
Clopidogrel
Abciximab

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18
Q

What is the function of neutrophils?

A

Ingest + destroy pathogens

Esp. bacteria + fungi

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19
Q

What is the lifespan of neutrophils?

A

1-2 days

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20
Q

How long does it take a neutrophil to respond to infection?

A

Few hours

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21
Q

What interleukin is predominantly produced by macrophages?

A

IL-17

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22
Q

What may cause neutrophilia?

A

Infection, inflammation (e.g. post MI, post-op, RA)

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23
Q

What may cause neutropenia?

A
Subsaharan africans may have lower levels
Decreased production (e.g. marrow failure, drugs) 
Increased consumption (e.g. sepsis, autoimmune) 
Altered function (e.g. chronic granulomatous disease)
24
Q

What is the function of monocytes?

A

Ingest + destroy pathogens

25
Q

What are the monocytes that migrate into tissues called?

A

Macrophages

26
Q

Give examples of macrophages?

A

Lung alveolar macrophages

Liver Kupffer cells

27
Q

What can cause monocytosis?

A

Usually assoc. with neutrophilia

Mycobacteria infection

28
Q

What can cause monocytopenia?

A

Hairy cell leukaemia

29
Q

Eosinophils are involved in immunity against what?

A

Parasites

Also involved in allergy

30
Q

Name 2 features of lymphocytes that differ from myelocytes?

A

Adaptive, immunolgocial memory

31
Q

What causes lymphocytosis?

A

Viral infections mostly (e.g. IM, pertussis)

32
Q

What causes lymphopenia?

A

Post-vial common

Lymphoma

33
Q

What are the functions of B cells?

A

Making antibodies/precursors for making antibodies

34
Q

What are the functions of T cells?

A

Helper - regulates adaptive immune system
Cytotoxic - kills pathogens
Regulatory - dampens immune system

35
Q

Where are B cells produced?

A

Bone marrow

36
Q

Where are T cells produced?

A

Thymus

37
Q

What are the roles of antibodies?

A

Adaptors between pathogens + clearance systems
Opsonisation
Fix complement
Block binding

38
Q

What is opsonisation?

A

Process of marking a pathogen for destruction to be engulfed by a macrophage

39
Q

Where do B cells reside in the lymph node?

A

Follicles

40
Q

Where do T cells reside in lymph nodes?

A

Paracortex

41
Q

Where do plasma cells reside in lymph nodes?

A

Medulla

42
Q

Where do B cells undergo expansion and selection?

A

Germinal centre of lymph node

43
Q

What does the HLA gene encode for?

A

MHC protein - which are responsible for the regulation of the immune system

44
Q

What are the two classes of HLA genes and where are they found?

A

Class 1 - all nucleated cells

Class 2 - on APC cells

45
Q

Give examples of APC cells?

A

B cells
Dendritic cells
Macrophages

46
Q

What haematological abnormalities can hepatic disease lead to?

A

Anaemia

Deficient clotting factors

47
Q

What haematological abnormalities can renal disease lead to?

A

Anaemia

HUS

48
Q

What haematological abnormalities can CV disease lead to?

A

Anaemia

49
Q

What haematological abnormalities can respiratory disease lead to?

A

Polycythaemia

50
Q

What haematological abnormalities can GI disease lead to?

A

Anaemia

51
Q

What tests may be useful in haematology?

A
FBC
Clotting time for clotting factors
Bleeding time for platelets
Platelet + leucocyte function tests
Haematinics (B12, folate, iron)
Marrow aspirate + trephine 
Lymph node biopsy
Imaging
52
Q

Where is a marrow aspirate/trephine commonly taken from now?

A

Iliac crest

53
Q

What two kinds of pulp are found in the spleen and what is their functions?

A

White: immune
Red: red cells maturation

54
Q

What does hypersplenism lead to?

A

Pancytopenia - red/white cells spend too much time in spleen and not circulating around

55
Q

What does hyposplenism lead to?

A

Infections with encapsulated bacteria (meningococcus, pneumococcus, haemophilus)
Red cell changes

56
Q

What things may cause splenomegaly?

A

Inections, e.g. EBV, CMV, TB, Brucella, malaria, leishmaniasis
Haematological malignancy
Portal hypertension
Haemolytic conditions (immune, spherocytosis, thalassaemia etc.)
Connective tissue dx (Felty’s, SLE)
Malignancy, sarcoid, amyloid, genetic