Peter Browett Flashcards
Define haematopoesis.
The process by which mature blood cells are generated from stem cells in the bone marrow.
What are the haemotopoietic tissues?
The tissues producing cells other than lymphocytes. Bone marroe - mainly sternum ribs andsacrum.
Spleen (5%)
Where are haematopoietic tissues origionate from?
Generated from blood islands of the yolk sacs to produce transient primitive blood cells.
Then definitive cells from the endotheliem in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros region called haemangioblasts that can generate endothelial cells and haemotpoietic cells.
The haemangioblasts then seed at other sites, fetal liver and then the bone marrow.
What happens to the haematopoesis in myelofibrosis?
Extramedullar haematopoiesis. Spleen and liver generating blood cells.
Enlarged liver and spleen.
What cells are in the bone marrow?
Haematopoietic and stromal cells.
Stromal cells include fibroblasts, macrophages, fat cells and endothelial cells. They provide support and a microenvironment suitable for blood cell production.
What is the survival of RBC, platelets and neutrophils?
RBC - 120 days
Platelets - 5-6 days
Neutrophils - 5-6 hours
What happens as haematopoietic stem cells generate mature cells?
As cells mature they loose their capacity to proliferate.
This process is controlled by growth factors produced by the BM microenvironment. For example erythropoietin controls RBC production, thrombopoietin produces platelet productuin and G-CSF stimulates netrophil production.
Where can you isolate stem cells from?
Bone marrow, umbilical cord and peripheral blood.
For peripheral blood you need to give haematopoietic growth factors first.
What are the benefits of the shape of a RBC?
Allows deformity to fit through small capillaries and has a large surface area to volume to improve gas exchange.
Because the RBCs have no DNA or RNA they depend on enzymes that produce ATP and stop haemoglobin being oxidised.
G6PD enzyme deficiency - involved in oxidation stress. Can cause haemolytic anaemia.
What happens during RBC maturation and what cells can be found in the blood in some stress e.g blood loss?
Progressive increase in haemoglobin, chromatin clumping, excludes the nucleus. Loss of RNA.
Reticulocytes - still has RNA - If blood loss you expect to see reticulocytes. If there are none suggests that RBC production is defective e.g. aplastic anaemia
How is RBC production stimulated?
Erythropoierin is produced by the kidney in response to low oxygen tensions.
High altitude -> decreased FiO2 -> reduced O2 saturation -> kidney -> EPO
Narrowing of the artery to the kidey will also increase EPO
It binds to the EPO receptor:
- stimulation of BFU-E and CFU-E
- increases haemoglobin synthesis
- educes RBC maturation time
- Increases reticulocyte release.
EPO receptor - JAK STAT -> MAP kinase -> proliferation. Mutation -> polycythaemia
Who might receive recombinant erythropoietin?
Patients with kidney failure causing anaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes
What happens in RBC destruction?
They become less deformable with age, and are removed from the liver and the spleen.
RBC are broken down with release of Hb
Haemoglobin is broken down into globin chains and haem. Iron from the haem goes to the bone marrow for reuse and protoporphyrin is converted to bilirubin which goes to the liver and enters the bile which goes into the gut.
Extra haemolysis -> jaundice. The bilirubin is uncongugated in this situation because the conjugation system is overloaded.
What is the haematocrit?
The percentage of RBCs to total volume in a centrifuges blood sample. Correlates with haemoglobin.
What are the body’s response to anaemia?
Increased CO - SV and HR, a right shift in the haemoglobin dissociation curve
Fatigue, pale, SOB on exertion
What are the causes of impaired production of RBC?
Deficiency of things essential for production, folate, B12, iron.
Genetic defect, thalassaemia.
Failure of bone marrow, leukaemia, irradiation or drug damage