Lecture 1a Flashcards
Define anemia.
Reduction in total number of RBCs, amount of Hb or RBC mass in circulation
Define polycythemia.
Increase in total number of RBCs, amount of Hb and RBC mass in circulation
Define anisocytosis.
Variation in size, RDW(red blood cell width) > 14.5%
Define Poikilocytosis.
Variation in shape
Define polychromasia.
Increased in reticulocytes in peripheral blood stream due to being released prematurely
Define hypochromia.
Central pallor > 1/3rd the size of RBC
Define microcytosis.
Abnormally small RBCs
Define macrocytosis.
Abnormally large RBcs
Define Acanthocyte.
Irregularly spiculated RBC
Example: abetalipoproteinemia
Define Echinocyte.
RBCs with short, regular spicules
Example: uremia
Define spherocyte.
RBC w/o central pallor.
Example: hereditary spherocytosis
Define Ovalocyte.
Elliptical RBC
Example: Hereditary elliptocytosis
Define schistocyte.
Fragmented, bi-, or tripolar spiculated RBC
Example: DIC (Disseminated intravascular coagulation )
Define sickle cell.
Bipolar spiculated RBC
Example: sickle cell disease
Define stomatocyte.
Mouth-like deformity
Example: hereditary stomatocytosis
Define target cell.
RBC with concentric circles
Example: thalassemias
Define tear drop.
Unipolar spiculated RBC
Example: myelofibrosis
How much of our body weight is blood?
7-8% of total body weight
average male: 12 pints
average female: 9 pints
What are the blood functions?
O2 and nutrient transportation
Blood loss prevention (clotting)
Immune response to fight infection
Carries waste to kidney and liver
Body temperature regulation
What are the 4 components of blood?
Plasma
RBC
WBC
Platelets(Plt)
What is plasma made of?
Translucent, thin fluid
Water and salt from intestinal lining
Consists of 90% of water, rest are proteins, hormones, insulin, electrolytes, nutrients
Where are blood cells produced?
Bone marrow
Extra medullary sites including the liver and spleen
What are the functions of plasma?
Transport blood cells, proteins, antibodies, etc.
Maintains blood pressure
What is the most abundant blood cell?
Erythocytes
What are the characteristics and functions of erythrocytes?
Flexible, bright red biconcave disc
Oxygenation of tissue
Production stimulated by erythropoietin from kidneys
120days lifespan
What are the types of WBC?
Neutrophil(most abundant, <1day lifespan)
Lymphocyte
Monocyte
Eosinophil
Basophil
What are the characteristics/functions of platelets?
Cell fragments, w/o a nucleus
Extra platelets are stored in the spleen
Production stimulated by thrombopoietin, hormone related by liver and kidney
7-10days lifespan
What is the role of platelets?
Clotting
What are the components of CBC?
WBC
RBC
Hemoglobin
Hematocrit
Mean corpuscular volume(MCV)
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin(MCH)
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations(MCHC)
Red blood cell distribution width(RDW)
Platelet
What can WBC on a lab be often identified as?
Percentages and absolute values
What causes variability in hemoglobin levels?
Sex: higher in males
Age: higher in young infants
high altitudes/smokers: higher
pregnancy: lower
ethnicity: varies
Define hematocrit.
A ratio of volume of RBC to volume of blood
How do you calculate hematocrit?
Hct = (RBC x MCV)/10
Hct = Hgb x 3
Define mean corpuscular volume (MCV).
Reflects the individual size of RBC
What does it mean when MCV is low or high?
Low MCV: microcytosis(small cell size)
Normal MCV: normocytosis(normal cell size)
High MCV: macrocytosis(large cell size)
Define mean corpuscular hemoglobin(MCH).
Amount(weight) of hemoglobin per RBC
Directly related to RBC size
What does it mean when MCH is low or high?
Low MCH: hypochromia
normal: normochromia
high MCH: hyperchromia
How do you calculate MCH?
MCH = (Hgb/RBC) x 10
Define mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC).
Average hgb concentration in each RBC
How do you calculate MCHC?
MCHC = Hgb/Hct (%)
Define red cell distribution width (RDW).
Measures the percent of RBC that fall out of normal range in size
directly related to changes in MCV
What can cause increased RDW?
Reticulocytosis defined as anisocytosis
What does it mean a mean platelet volume (MPV) is low or high?
Increase MPV means increase platelet production
Decrease MPV means decrease platelet production
younger platelets are larger in size
What does a peripheral blood smear measure?
Manually assesses blood cell morphology and cell count (platelets, RBC, WBC)
Visualization of neoplastic cells derived from bone marrow (lymphoid cells, myeloid cells)
What is an abnormally shaped RBC called?
Poikilocyte
