Leukocytes Flashcards
What are the two bone marrow pools? How long do cells spend in each?
Proliferation pool - 3 days
Maturation pool - 2 days
- Total time spent in health: 5 days*
- Total time spent in disease: <5 days*
What are the two WBC blood pools
Circulating pool (veins and arteries)
Marginated pool (capillaries - stuck to endothelium)
How much time is spent in blood pools in health? In inflammation?
Health: 8hrs
Inflammation: <8hrs
3 lymphocyte migration paths
- Lymph node path (blood –> LN –> efferent lymphatics)
- Tissue path (blood –> tissues –> lymphatics
- Blood path (capillaries –> tissues –> LNs)
Different ways to count WBCs in lab (5)
1. Imependence cell counters
2. Electronic cell counters
3. WBC differential count (microscope)
4. Centrifugation (IDEXX)
5. Hemacytometer
How do impedence cell counters work? Downsides of them?
- Lyse RBCs and platelets
- Send electrons through. Nucleated cells impede electrons
- Counts cells with nuclei
* Problem: count all nucleated cells (including immature RBCs)*
* Technically a total nucleated cell count*
How do electronic cell counters work
- Optical/laser flow
- Stain nuclei/cytoplasm
- ID cells by light scatter and absoprtion

Downsides of electronic cell counters
- Dont ID abnormal cells correctly
- Dont detect organisms
- Technically a total nucleated cell count
Whats a WBC differential count. Downsides?
- Count 100 WBCs with microscope
- Determine percentage of each
- Multiply percentage by [WBC] to get individual concentrations
* Poor precision*
* Poor reproducibility*
Centrifugation (IDEXX)
- Centrifugal forces separate blood into 5 layers
- Layers recognized by fluorescent markers of DNA, RNA, lipoprotein
- Thickness used to get concentration
Leukocytosis
Elevated WBC count
Due to:
- Acute/chronic inflammation
- Glucocorticoids
- Physiologic (excitement)
- Neoplasia
Neutrophilia
Increased neutrophils
Due to:
- Increased release from marrow
- Shift from marginating pool to circulating pool
- Decreased migration to tissues
- Or all of the above*
Whats left shift
Increased banded neutrophils
Regenerative left shift
[Segs] > [Bands]
Adequate response to inflammation
Degenerative left shift
[Bands] > [Segs]
- Inadequate response: marrow is not keeping up with demand*
- Poor prognosis :(*
- Normal in cows!*
Your patient is a cow with elevated bands but normal segs, suggesting a degenerative left shift. Are you worried?
No, this is normal in cows due to smaller storage pools
How do quantify the severity of neutrophilia?
- Mild: <1,000/ul [bands]
- Moderate: 1,000 - 10,000/ul
- Severe: >10,000/ul
Whats a right shift? What causes it?
Hypersegmented neutrophils
Cause
- Glucocorticoids (decreased immigration of neutrophils to tissue, increased lifespan in blood –> larger)
Which species have highest [neutrophil] with inflammation
Dogs
Pathogenesis of acute inflammatory neutrophilia
- Acute inflammtory disorder (hours-days)
- Macrophages and lymphocytes release cytokines
- Cytokines stimulate release of neutrophils from storage pool
—> Neutrophilia
- Cytokines stimuate release of bands from maturation pool
—> Left shift
- Cytokines stimulate production of neutrophils (granulocytic hyperplasia – after several days)
—> Regenerative
Magnitude of glucocorticoid neutrophilia
< 3x URI
Magnitude of acute inflammatory neutrophilia
>10x URL
Extreme inflammation = leukemoid response (increased WBC)
60-80,000 neutrophils
Pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory neutrophilia
1) Chronic inflammation (*weeks to months*)
2) Macrophages and lymphocytes release cytokines
—-> increased neutrophil production (neutrophilia)
3) Granulocytic hyperplasia
—–> more segs produced
—> neutrophilia w/o left shift
Magnitude of chronic inflammatory neutrophilia
<3x URI (slight to moderate)
Pathogenesis Glucocorticoid Neutrophilia
- Glucocorticoids in blood (stress, iatrogenic)
- Reduced adhesion proteins in vessels
- Shift from marginated pool to circulation pool
——> NEUTROPHILIA
- Reduced neutrophil migration to tissue
——-> Immuno-compromised
- Increased lifespan blood neutrophils
——> Hypersegmented
——> sometimes RIGHT SHIFT
Why are patients on glucocorticoids immunocompromised
Glucocorticoids reduce migration of neutrophils to tissues –> fewer cells in tissue to fight pathogens
Pathogenesis Physiologic Neutrophilia
- Flight/flight stimulus
- Catecholamines
- Down regulation of adhesion proteins in vessels
- Neutrophils shift MP —> CP
——> Neutrophilia
- Increased blood flow rate through capillaries (vasodilation)
——> Shift from MP to CP
——> Neutrophilia (NO SHIFT!)
Magnitude physiologic neutrophilia
< 3 % URI
Except cats: >3% URI! Large marginated pool
What are reactive lymphocytes
Large lymphocytes as a result of antigen stimulation
Which species has a higher magnitude of physiologic neutrophilia? Why?
Cats (>3% URI)
Because they have a larger marginated pool
Which diseases cause lymphocytosis
- Chronic inflammation (*uncommon*)
- Physiologic
- Lymphoproliferative disorders
- Hypoadrenocorticism
Magnitude of chronic lymphocytosis
<2x URL
Pathogenesis of chronic lymphocytosis
- Persistent infection (weeks-months, ie Ehrlichia, Babesia)
- Macrophages and lymphocytes release cytokines
- Cytokines stimulate production of lymphocytes in LNs
—-> Lymphoid hyperplasia
- Increased production and release of lymphocytes
—-> May be reactive (big lymphocytes)
Which is more common: lymphocytosis due to chronic inflammation or due to lymphoproliferative disorders
Lymhoproliferative disorders (ie neoplasia)
Pathogenesis of physiologic lymphocytosis
- Fight/flight stimulus
- Catecholamine release
- Down regulation of adhesion proteins in vessels
—> MP to CP
—-> Lymphocytosis
- Increased blood flow through smaller vessels
—-> MP to CP
—-> Lymphocytosis
T/F - physiologic lymphocytosis is a common cause of lymphocytosis in relaxed, older dogs
False - its uncommon unless the animal is stressed/excited
You have a cat with physiologic lymphocytosis. Which other parameter will likely be elevated?
Neutrophilia
Maybe monocytosis
Pathogenesis of lymphoproliferative lymphocytosis
- Neoplastic transformation of a lymphocyte
- Clonal proliferation of neoplastic lymphocytes
- Production and release of neoplastic lymphocytes
—-> Lymphocytosis
What is the most common lymphocytosis in a sick animal?
Lymphoproliferative lymphocytosis (BVD, leukemia, neoplasia…)
How do you diagnose lymphoproliferative lymphocytosis
Mild-extreme lymphocytosis
Atypical, large, immature lymphocytes

You see a lot of these on your cat’s smear. What do you suspect?

These are large, atypical, immature lymphocytes
Suspect lymphoproliferative lymphocytosis
Cause of monocytosis
- Inflammation (acute/chronic)
- Steroids (stress)
What does monocytosis usually occur with?
Neutrophilia
What are causes of eosinophilia (4)
- Hypersensitivities, allergies
- Parasitism
- Mast cell degranulation (inflammation, neoplasm)
- Idiopathic (eosinophilic myostitis)
Causes of basophilia (2)
1) Hypersensitivity/Allergies
2) Parasitism
Causes of neutropenia (5)
1) Inflammation
2) Peripheral destruction
- Immune mediated
* - Hemophagocytic syndromes*
3) Granulocytic hypoplasia
- Parvo, FeLV, Toxoplasma, Ehrlichia
* - Neoplasia*
* - Toxic (estrogens, bracken ferns)*
* - Marrow necrosis*
* - Myeolofibrosis*
4) Ineffective production (ijf
5) Cyclic hematopoiesis
Causes of granulocytic hypoplasia
- Parvo, FeLV, Toxoplasma, Ehrlichia
- Neoplasia
- Toxic (estrogens, bracken ferns)
- Marrow necrosis
- Myeolofibrosis
Pathogenesis of inflammatory (overwhelming) neutropenia
- Acute, severe infection (hours-days)
- Macrophages and lymphocytes release cytokines
- Cytokines stimulation migration of neutrophils to inflammed tissue
—> CP to MP
- Cytokines stimulate release of bands from maturation pool
—> NEUTROPENIA with DEGENERATIVE left shift
What condition causes a degenerative left shift
Acute, overwhelming inflammation
Pathogenesis of granulocytic hypoplasia
- Damage of stem cells (infectious, neoplasia, toxic etc)
- Reduced granulocytic precursors (hypoplasia)
—> May also reduce RBC and platelet precursors
- Reduced neutrophils
——–> NEUTROPENIA with (possible) concurrent anemia and thrombocytopenia = APLASTIC ANEMIA
What is aplastic anemia
Condition that causes neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia
Due to granulocytic hypoplasia
T/F Granulocytic hypoplasia often has a degenerative left shift
FALSE, no left shift
T/F - bacterial endotoxins can cause a degenerative left shift
True, as is seen in acute overwhelming neutropenia
Diseases and conditons of lymphopneia
-
Acute inflammation
- Bacterial
- Viral -
Glucocorticoids
- Stress
- Cushings
- Iatrogenic -
Lymphocyte depletion
- Lymphoid effusion: chylothorax, feline cardiomyopathy
- Loss of lymph - Lymphoid hypoplasia, aplasia
Pathogenesis of acute inflammatory lymphopenia
- Acute disorder (hours to days)
- Macrophages and lymphocytes release cytokines
- Cyokines promote homing of lymphocytes to LNs and reduce exit from LNs
- Cytokines promote lymphocyte migration from CP to inflammed tissues
——–> LYMPHOPENIA with left shift neutrophilia or inflammatory neutropenia
Pathogenesis of stress lymphopenia
- Incrased glucocorticoids in blood
- Shift of lymphocytes from CP to marrow/LNs
- May also have lymphotoxic effects
*can occur in minutes!*
—> Lymphopenia with evidence of steroid excess (mature neutrophilia, monocytosis, hyperglycemia, dilute urine)
Pathogenesis of Depletion Lymphopenia
- Damaged lymphatic vessel
- Loss of lymph into pleural/peritoneal cavity
–> Chylothorax, chyloabdomen
- Repeated drainage of lymph from LNs
- Breaks lymphocyte recirculation pattern
- Depletion of circulation lymphocytes
—-> Lymphopenia with history of lymphocyte rich fluid drainage
Fill in the blanks


Describe toxic neutrophils (6)

- Foamy cytoplasm - displaced organelles
- Diffuse cytoplasmic basophilia - RNA
- Dohle bodies - rough ER with RNA *cats*
- Asynchronous nuclear maturation
- Giant neutrophils
- Toxic granules *horses*
Cause of toxic neutrophils
Severe inflammatory disease (often bacterial)
Sometimes caused by non-infectious inflammatory disorders
What causes hypersegmented neutrophils (4)

- Steroids (!)
- Delayed sample analysis
- Idiopathic
- Chronic inflammation (sometimes)
Characteristics of reactive lymphocytes

- Increased cytoplasmic basophilia
- Prominent golgi zone
- Hyperchromatic nuclei
What causes reactive lymphocytes
Acute and chronic inflammatory disease - usually infectious
Which pathogen causes morula in cells

Ehlrichia
Which pathogen causes buds in cells

Histoplasma capsulatum
Which pathogen causes rectangular gamonts in monocytes and neutrophils

Hepatozoon
What are Myeloproliferative diseases (4)
- Leukemias
- Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
- Granulocytic sarcoma (rare!)
- Histiocytic proliferative diseases
What are lymphoproliferatives diseases (4)
- Lymphoma
- Myeloma
- Extramedullary plasmacytoma
- Lymphoid leukemia (rare)
Whihc CD molecule is used to distinguish acute from chronic leukemia
CD34
Purpose of the PARR test
PCR for Antigen Receptor Rearrangements
Take FNA of LN. Test for receptors on lymphocytes. They should be different (LNs have diverse colonoy of lymphocytes. If they are all the same, idicates neoplasm, Ehrlichiosis (hyperplastic) or bad samples)