Red And Whte Blood Cells

Question 1

What is hemopoesis?

Answer 1

Production of blood cells from an haemopoetic stem cell (haemocytoblast) through a series of divisions.

Question 2

Red blood cell: 
Size? 
Lifespan? 
Job? 
Production?

Answer 2

6.2 - 8.2 micrometers 
100-120 days lifespan 
O2 and CO2 carrier 
Erythropoietin stimulates their production 
Derived from bone marrow 
Cytoplasm filled with quaternary protein - Hb, has two alpha and beta polypeptide chains 4 in total 
No nucleus 
Biconcave

See histology sheets for more detail

Question 3

Problems with RBC’s

Answer 3

Hypo-regenerative anaemia

Hyper-regenerative anaemia

Polycythaemia

Can be corpuscular or extra corpuscular (inside or outside blood cell)

Question 4

What is hypo-regenerative anaemia?

What is hyper-regenerative anaemia?

Answer 4

Hypo = there is too few red blood cells due to a reduced production

Hyper = there is too few red blood cells due to an increased destruction rate. ???

Question 5

What is hypoxia?

Anaemia?

Thrombosis?

Haemolysis?

Polycythaemia?

Answer 5

Hypoxia = ow oxygen levels in your blood

Anaemia = lack of healthy red blood cells

Thrombosis = blood clots block your vessels

Haemolysis = the lysis of RBC’s and the releases of their contents

Polycythaemia = too many RBC’s leading to an increased chance of thrombosis

Question 6

Anaemia can be caused via a corpuscular fault or an extra corpuscular fault.

Corpuscular faults:

Answer 6

Faults in the membrane of the RBC

With the Hb ( e.g. sickle cell, hemoglobinopathy)

Deficient enzymes in the cell (G6PD, PK)

Question 7

Extra corpuscular faults:

Answer 7

Reduced production - due to iron deficiency, B12 deficiency, chemotherapy

Increased loss - haemolysis, autoimmune, bleeding

Redistribution - hypersplenism (Spleen destroys them too fast)

Often a sign of haemolysis is dark red urine

Question 8

White blood cells:

Size?
Lifespan?
Job?
Production?

Answer 8

7-30 micrometers
Hours - years
Specific and non specific immunity
Mature in thymus or bone marrow, live in blood and lymphatics

Question 9

What is the job of G-CSF and recombinant erythropoietin?

Answer 9

Can be produced outside body and added to increase white and red blood cell numbers respectively

Question 10

What white blood cells are involved in non specific immunity?

What WBC’s are involved in antigen-specific immunity?

Answer 10

1. Neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, mast cells, NK cells

2. NK cells, Helper T, B cells,

Question 11

What is humoral immunity?

What is cell mediated immunity?

Answer 11

Immunity of the blood, controlled by plasma cells and memory cells. Takes place in ECF

Immunity of the cells, controlled by Tc cells, Th cells, phagocytes etc
Particularly affected against cancer and virus

Question 12

WBC abnormalities:

Answer 12

Neutrophil leukocytosis vs neutropenia

Eosinopenia vs philia

Basopenia vs philia

Monocytopenia vs philia

Lymphopenia vs philia

= low or high X count

Myeloid malignancies = clinal disease of haemopoietic steel cells.

Plasma cell malignancies = cancer of plasma cells

Question 13

Are white cells transfused?

Answer 13

Very very rarely.
Instead cellular therapy takes place much more regularly. Transfer of “super cells” into patient aimed at targeting disease

Question 14

Platelets:

Size?
Lifespan?
Job?
Production?

Answer 14

2-5 micrometers
7-10 days of life
Clot blood

Primarily megakaryocytes are are found in the bone marrow. Thrombopoeitin - hormone produced by the liver and kidney stimulates production and stimulation of megakaryocytes - therefore increase platelet count

Question 15

Platelets consist of…

Answer 15

Plasma membrane
Cytoskeleton
Dense tubular system
Secretly granules

Are part of a cell “shed” from megakaryocytes

Question 16

How do platelets function?

Answer 16

1. Blood vessel becomes damaged
2. Floating platelets in blood stick together and block the whole
3. Collagen on outside blood vessel chemical reacts with platelets and causes them to stick. This forms a platelet plug.
4. Fibrin protein formed by fibronegin also added to the area this strengthens the plug forming a mesh of protein in-between platelets

• Thrombin is responsible for the conversion of fibronegin to fibrin as fibrin in the blood would case long strands to form.

Question 17

What is thrombocytopenia?

Symptoms?

Answer 17

Low number of platelets in the blood

Often develop a petechial rash, skin brushing

Question 18

Haemophilia - what is it?

Symptoms?

Answer 18

Genetic condition - produce a lack of clotting factors.

Tend to have joint bleeding, large suffusions,

Haemophilia can be split into A (lack of clotting factor VIII - 85%), B, C

Question 19

Causes of thrombocytopenia?

Not different to Haemophilia - only reduced platelets rest of clotting mechanisms work.

Answer 19

Reduced production (reduced megakaryocytes)

Increased destruction - autoimmune, allergic

Altered redistribution - large splendid - destroys platelets early.

Question 20

What is thrombocytopathia and what does it cause?

Answer 20

It is an inherited condition

See lecture again

Question 21

What happens during normal haemostsis?

Answer 21

Primary haemostasis = platelet plug forms

Coagulation cascade = cascade of events that lead to the formation of thrombin — then…
2 and 10 factors are important in this cascade

Termination

Fibrinolysis = enzymatic breakdown of fibrin in blood clots

Question 22

Good to note that most liver diseased patients may have a low platelet count but most likely have a normal haemostasis

Answer 22

Also the use of a PLT transfusion or FFP may cause thrombosis

Question 23

What is thrombocytosis?

Answer 23

It is an increased platelet count of the blood

It can be reactive to something e.g hyposplenism, surgery - treat underlying condition

Or can be malignant/clonal
Use anti platelets or anti coagulation medication

Question 24

What is plasma?

Answer 24

The blood minus the cells 
Made up of up to 95% water 
6-8% protein 
Globulins 
Hormones

Question 25

What is FFP and what can it be used for?

Answer 25

Fresh frozen plasma - used to treat conditions with low blood clotting factors, never used to increase volume of blood.

Question 26

What is fibrinogen?

Answer 26

Glycoprotein complex that circulates blood. During blood clots thrombin converts fibrinogen into fibrin