Physiology Flashcards
What is blood?
Specialised fluid composed of cells suspended in a liquid called plasma
What is the average adult blood volume in litres?
4.5-6 litres
What are the 3 types of blood cell?
Red blood cell
White blood cell
Platelets
What are the main components of plasma?
Water (90%)
Proteins (mostly albumin, Ig, clotting factors)
Nutrients
Salts
What are the 2 types of white cells?
Granulocytes
Agranulocytes
List the main granulocytes
Neutrophils
Eosinophils
Basophils
List the main agranulocytes
Lymphocytes
Monocytes
What do red blood cells do?
Carry oxygen
Buffer CO2
What do platelets do?
Stop bleeding
What do white blood cells do?
Fight infection and pathology
What is the process by which blood cells are produced?
Haemopoiesis from pleuripotent stem cells
Where are the sites of haematopoiesis in the embryo?
Yolk sac
Liver
Spleen
Where are the sites of haematopoiesis from birth to maturity?
Bone marrow
Liver
Spleen
Where are the sites of haematopoiesis in the adult?
Bone marrow of skull, ribs, sternum, pelvis and proximal femur
What processes have to occur to a stem cell in order to make blood?
Proliferation
Differentiation
Self-renewal
Quiescence
Outline the cell stages of erythropoiesis
Pronormoblast - early normoblast - intermediate normoblast - late normoblast - reticulocyte - erythrocyte
Describe the structure of a neutrophil
Segmented nucleus (polymorph) Neutral-staining
What are the functions of a neutrophil?
Phagocytose invaders
Attract other immune cells
Describe the structure of a eosinophil
Bi-lobed
Bright orange-red granules
What are the functions of an eosinophil?
Fight parasitic infections
Involved in hypersensitivity
Describe the structure of a basophil
Infrequent in circulation
Large deep purple granules with obscured nucleus
What are the functions of a basophil?
Circulating version of a mast cell
Mediates hypersensitivity
Describe the structure of a monocyte
Large single nucleus
Faintly staining granules, often vacuolated
What are the functions of a monocyte?
Enter tissues and become macrophages
Phagocytose invaders
Attract other immune cells
Live longer than neutrophils
Describe the structure of a lymphocyte
Mature: small with condensed nucleus and cytoplasm
Activated: blue cytoplasm extending neighbouring red cells with more open nucleus
What are the functions of a lymphocyte?
Numerous subtypes and functions
Cognate response
What methods can be used to identify primitive precursors?
Immunophenotype (antigen on cell surface)
Bio-assay (culture in vitro)
What is a common site for bone marrow biopsy?
Posterior iliac crest
Do red blood cells have a nucleus and/or mitochondria?
No nucleus or mitochondria, thus no DNA either
What is the average life-span of a red blood cell?
120 days
Red blood cells are produced from pleuripotent stem cells. True/False?
True
What happens to old red blood cells?
Phagocytic cells of the liver and spleen engulf old red blood cells
What happens to the haem group of broken down red blood cells?
Converted into bilirubin that is conjugated by the liver
Which hormone regulates erythrocyte production?
Erythropoietin
What stimulates erythropoietin release by the kidney?
Reduced oxygen carrying capacity of erythrocytes