PBL 9 Flashcards
Define erythroid debris
broken down erythrocyte’s parts
define MCH
mean corpuscular haemoglobin, this refers to the average amount of haemoglobin found in the red blood cells in the body, this is caclaulated by dividing the total mass of haemoglobin by the number of red blood cells in a volume of blood, this is decreased in hypochromic anaemias
name some different types of haemoglobin
- HbA (haemoglobin in adults) this is 2 alpha and 2 beta subunits
- HbF (fetal haemoglobin) this is 2 alpha and 2 gamma subunits
- HbA2 – 2 alpha and 2 delta subunits
- Hb Gower-1 – this is foetal haemoglobin that is formed in the first 6 weeks of fetal development, in the yolk sac and mesothelium
- Haemoglobin Barts – y4
- Haemoglobin H – 4 beta subunits
what are the 3 sites of production of RBC in the foetus
- Mesoblastic - 3rd week
- Hepatic – 6 weeks
- Myeloid stage – 3rd month onwards (6-7 months becomes more important)
describe the 3 sites of RBC production in the foetus
Mesoblastic
- Nucleated red blood cells form in the yolk sac and mesothelial layers of the placenta
Hepatic
- Erythropoiesis mainly starts happening in the liver and spleen, at this stage there is no bone marrow and the liver has developed enough
Myeloid
- Bone marrow gradually become the principal source of the red blood cell
describe the site of production of RBC in adults
- As you get older the amount of bones that can-do erythropoiesis decreases
- 0-5 years there is bone marrow in all bones so they can all make red blood cells
- 5- 20-25 years – erythropoiesis happens in the long bones
- 25+ tends to happens in the membranous bones such as the vertebrae, sternum, ribs, cranial bones and ileum
can the sites at which RBC are produced change
This is because there is gradual replacement on the bone marrow with fats this can reverse and do hemopoiesis if there is an increased demand for example anaemia, the liver and spleen can also do this
definition of thalassemia
- Thalassaemia is a genetic defect that results in inadequate quantities of one or another of the subunits that make up haemoglobin
what are the types of thalassemia
alpha
beta
what are the genetics of alpha thalasemia
- The severity of alpha thalassemia depends on the number of gene alles that are either defective or missing
- Defect on chromosome 16
what happens if you have one alpha gene defective
- known as alpha thalassemia minima
- minimal effect
- 3 alpha globin genes are enough to permit normal haemoglobin production
- no clinical symptoms
- silent carrier
- may have a slightly reduced mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin
what happens if you have two alpha genes defective
- known as alpha thalassemia minor
- 2 alpha genes permit nearly normal production of RBC
- milld microcytic hypo chromic anaemia
- this is the part of the disease that can be mistaken for iron deficiency anaemia and treated with iron inappropriately
what happens if you have three alpha genes defective
- this is haemoglobin H disease
- Two unstable haemoglobins are present in the blood: Haemoglobin Barts (γ4) and haemoglobin H (β4).
- both of these haemoglobin have a higher affinity for oxygen that normal haemoglobin - thus this results in poor release of oxygen in tissues
- there is a microcytic hypo chromic anaemia
what happens if you have 4 alpha genes defective
- foetus can’t live outside the uterus
- may not survive gestation
- most are born with hydros fetallis
- they have little circulating haemoglobin and the haemoglobin that is present is all tetrameric gamma chains ( haemoglobin parts)
what are the complications of alpha thalasemeia
- excess iron
- bone deformities and broken bones
- enlarged spleen
- infections
- slower growth rates
what are the symptoms fo alpha thalaseemia
- fatigue
- pale appearance or yellow colour to the skin
- irritability
- deformities of the facial bone
- slow growth
- swollen abdomen
- dark urine
what is the genetics of beta thalassemia
- caused by mutations in the haemoglobin β gene on chromosome 11, inherited in an autosomal recessive disease