Lab 2: Blood Sampling Flashcards
What is plasma?
Plasma is the fluid matrix in which the cellular elements of blood are suspended in
Plasma severs as the fluid medium for transport of materials through the blood and is also important for absorbing and distributing heat.
What are the components of plasma?
- water
- plasma proteins (antibodies, albumin, ions, nutrients, waste products, gases, and hormones)
What are the cellular elements of blood?
- red blood cells (erythrocytes)
- white blood cells (leukocytes)
- platelets (thrombocytes)
Describe the structure of erythrocytes.
What cellular component do they lack?
Erythrocytes are flat, biconcave, disc-shaped cells that lack a nucleus to maximize space for hemoglobin molecules which are responsible for carrying oxygen.
What regulates erythropoiesis?
(Production of red blood cells)
Erythropoiesis is regulated by the hormone erythropoietin, which is synthesized by the adult kidney in response to hypoxia.
What percentage of the blood is erythrocytes vs leukocytes?
Erythrocytes = 99%
Leukocytes = <1%
What is leukocytosis?
The prescence of elevated leukocytes in the blood can indicate infection, inflammatory response, illness, leukemia, etc
What is leukopenia?
A low leukocyte count can indicate a person may have an immunodeficiency disease
What is the role of thrombocytes?
Essential for controlling bleeding from an injured vessel through a process known as coagulation cascade.
What is thrombocytopenia?
A low number of platelets in the blood leads to problems with the formation of blood clots
What is thrombocytosis?
A high platelet count causes the blood to be thick and flow more slowly which can result in blood clots.
What is hematocrit?
The percentage of erythrocytes in the total blood volume
What are the 3 causes of anemia?
Anemia is condition causing a decrease in the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood
- Blood loss
- Decreased red blood cell production
- Increased red blood cell breakdown
What determines different blood types?
Surface markers, or antigens, found on the red blood cells.
How is the Rh antibodies different from ABO antibodies?
Every person has an Rh blood type: either Rh positive or Rh negative and will produce Rh antibodies if Rh negative.
Anti-D antibodies are only produced when the body is exposed to the Rh antigen.