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1. 2 Organ System Physiology > Red Blood Cells > Flashcards

Red Blood Cells Flashcards

1
Q

What is the scientific name for rbcs?

A

Erythrocytes

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2
Q

What part of rbcs bind to O2 and CO2?

A

Haemoglobin

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3
Q

What affect does the presence of haemoglobin have on rbcs?

A

Gives them a red colour

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4
Q

What makes up most of rbcs?

A

Haemoglobin

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5
Q

What is a H’crit?

A

The fraction of the blood that is blood cells

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6
Q

What is a small blood cell called?

A

Microcyte

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7
Q

What may cause microcytes?

A

Anemia

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8
Q

What is a big rbc called?

A

Macrocyte

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9
Q

What may cause macrocytes?

A

The incorrect folding of proteins in an rbc

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10
Q

What is a pale rbc called?

A

Hypochromic rbc

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11
Q

What may cause an rbc to be hypochromic?

A

Less haemoglobin

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12
Q

What is a stack of rbcs called?

A

A rouleaux of rbcs

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13
Q

What is so special about the rouleaux of rbcs?

A

This organisation allows rbcs to get through small capillaries quickly

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14
Q

What are sickle shaped rbcs?

A

Incorrectly shaped rbcs

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15
Q

Why are sickle cells dangerous?

3

A

They cannot form the rouleaux structure

They cannot get through capillaries

Can cause pain in areas such as the lungs

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16
Q

What is a red blood cell count?

A

The number of RBCs per ml of blood

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17
Q

What is the expected rbc count in males?

A

4.5-6.3 million per mm cubed

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18
Q

What is the expected rbc count in females?

A

4.2 - 5.5 million per mm cubed

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19
Q

Why is there a difference in rbc count in females and males?

A

This is accounted for by the hormone testosterone which boosts RBC number

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20
Q

What is the total RBC number in the body?

A

Approximately 25 trillion

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21
Q

What is the total cell number in the body?

A

75 trillion

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22
Q

How are rbcs shaped?

3

A

Biconcave discs

Thin centre

Thick rim

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23
Q

Give the measurements of an rbc.

2

A

7.8 um in diameter

between 2.6 um and 0.8 um in thickness

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24
Q

Why are rbcs biconcave in shape?

A

To give the rbc a larger surface area to volume ratio

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25
Q

How long does it take to make blood cells?

A

about a week

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26
Q

What do rbcs begin as on day 1?

A

Proerythroblasts

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27
Q

What are rbcs called on day 2 of their formation?

A

Basophilic erythroblasts

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28
Q

What are rbcs called on day 3 of their formation?

A

Polychromatophilic erythroblasts

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29
Q

What are rbcs called on day 4 of their formation?

A

Normoblasts

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30
Q

What happens after day 4 in the production of rbcs?

A

The normoblasts eject their nucleus

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31
Q

What are rbcs called on day 5-7 of their production?

A

Reticulocytes

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32
Q

What happens to a reticulocyte when it enters circulation?

A

It becomes a mature red blood cell

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33
Q

What stem cell gives rise to all blood cells except lymphocytes?

A

Myeloid stem cell

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34
Q

Why might rbcs not be considered cells?

4

A

They cannot divide

They cannot make proteins

They cannot make enzymes

They cannot repair

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35
Q

What is the life span of rbcs?

A

120 days

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36
Q

What type of metabolism do rbcs have and why?

A

Anaerobic metabolism because they have no mitochondria

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37
Q

What organelles do rbcs loose during their formation?

A

They loose all organelles not associated with gas transport

38
Q

Describe the structure of haemoglobin.

5

A

Has 2 alpha and 2 beta chains of polypeptides

Each chain is a globular protein subunit e.g. myoglobin

Each chain has a single Heme molecule

Each chain is a polypeptide chain attached to a heme prosthetic group

This attached group binds iron

39
Q

What is HBO2?

A

Oxyhaemoglobin

40
Q

What is oxyhaemoglobin?

A

Oxygen bound to haemoglobin

41
Q

What is different about foetal hamoglobin?

A

It binds O2 more readily and therefore steals O2 from the mother’s blood

42
Q

How many O2 binding sites does haemoglobin have?

A

4

43
Q

What happens if O2 in plasma is low?

A

O2 is released from Haemoglobin

44
Q

What is hypoxemia?

A

Low oxygen in blood

45
Q

What organs sense hypoxemia?

A

Liver

Kidney

46
Q

What is low oxygen a stimulant for?

A

The production of more rbcs

47
Q

What is anaemia?

2

A

A condition where there is either a low Hb content or low H’crit

Results in body cells are deprived of O2

48
Q

Give three symptoms of anaemia.

A

Fatigue

Weakness

Disorientation

49
Q

What does anaemia do to blood?

2

A

Blood becomes less viscous

Blood pressure drops

50
Q

What is the main cause of anaemia?

A

Low haemoglobin levels

51
Q

What may cause low haemoglobin levels?

4

A

Abnormal alpha chains (a thalassemia)

Abnormal beta chains (sickle cell anaemia)

Low iron

Low dietary protein

52
Q

What is anaemia caused by low iron levels caused?

A

Iron deficiency anaemia

53
Q

Other than low haemoglobin levels, what is often a cause of anaemia?

A

Low H’crit

54
Q

What may cause low H’crit?

A

Severe haemorrhage

Low RBC production

Renal failure

Low dietary B12

Break down of rbcs in the blood stream

55
Q

What is anaemia caused by haemorrhage called?

A

Haemorrhagic anaemia

56
Q

What is anaemia caused by low RBC production called?

A

Aplastic anaemia

57
Q

What is anaemia caused by low dietary B12 called?

A

Pernicious anaemia

58
Q

What is pernicious anaemia?

A

Anaemia caused by low dietary B12 which leads to poor maturation of RBCs

59
Q

What is anaemia caused by the break down of rbcs in the blood stream?

A

Haemolytic anaemia

60
Q

Why do rbcs only live for 120 days?

4

A

They cannot repair themselves and they get damaged in the circulatory system

They circulate the body every minute

Their size is large compared with capillary size

They are pumped under pressure

61
Q

What happens when a rbc is damaged?

2

A

They are removed and by the liver and spleen

They are then replaced

62
Q

Why does a bruise change colour?

A

The colour change is due to the heme being broken down

63
Q

How are rbcs broken down?

5

A

Some may fragment and go straight to the kidney - blood in urine

Rbcs parts are reused

Heme broken down into biliverdin (green) and then bilirubin (bile)

Bilirubin is broken down in large intestine into derived products

Derived products move to kidneys - yellow colour in urine

64
Q

How are the parts of old/damaged rbcs reused?

2

A

Amino acids are brought back to bone marrow to be reused

Iron is wrapped in a plasma protein so it can be reused in the marrow

65
Q

Where are rbcs broken down into their reusable parts?

A

Liver - hence why the liver is such a good source of iron

66
Q

What breaks down haemoglobin?

A

Phagocytic cells

67
Q

What happens when haemoglobin is broken down?

A

The heme group and globular protein are recycled

68
Q

How is the globular protein of Hb recycled?

A

Its broken down into amino acids

69
Q

How is the heme group of Hb recycled?

2

A

Its broken down to release the iron for reuse

The rest is excreted in the bile or urine

70
Q

What is a heme group without iron called?

A

Biliverdin

71
Q

What colour is biliverdin?

A

Green

72
Q

What happens to biliverdin?

A

It’s converted into bilirubin

73
Q

What colour is bilirubin?

A

Orange-yellow

74
Q

How is bilirubin excreted?

2

A

Excreted in bile

Bacteria then further break it down in the large intestine

75
Q

How is bilirubin broken down by bacteria?

A

Urobilinogens and stercobilinogins are formed

76
Q

What happens to urobilinogens?

A

They may be reabsorbed into the blood and excreted as urobilins into the urine (yellow colour)

77
Q

What gives urine it’s yellow colour?

A

Urobilins

78
Q

What happens to stercobilogins?

A

They are further converted into urobilins and stercobilins and excreted in faecal matter (yellow/brown colour)

79
Q

What gives faecal matter it’s yellow/brown colour?

A

Urobilins

Stercobilins

80
Q

What is jaundice?

2

A

Excess heme breakdown where some byproducts are deposited under the skin (jaundice)

Bilirubin is released into the blood where it diffuses into the peripheral tissue

81
Q

What are the four main causes of jaundice?

A

Obstruction of the bile duct

Infections (bacterial or viral) of the liver

Cirrhosis of the liver (chemical damage)

Haemolysis in the blood stream

82
Q

What causes neonatal jaundice?

3

A

Its a form of haemolytic jaundice

The liver of the neonate is immature and cannot handle bilirubin for the first week or so

The fetal Hb is being replaced by mature Hb

83
Q

Why is excess iron dangerous?

A

Iron is toxic in the free state and is not excreted if in excess

84
Q

Where is iron stored?

A

Liver or spleen

85
Q

What does iron bind to in the blood?

A

The transferrin transport (plasma) proteins

86
Q

What is excess iron bound to?

A

Ferritin or hemosiderin (for storage in liver or spleen)

87
Q

What may cause iron deficiency?

2

A

Dietary insufficiency

Malabsorption

88
Q

What may cause iron overload?

A

Genetic causes

89
Q

What does iron overload cause?

A

Leads to secondary storage sites in other organs - leads to disease of other tissue such as heart or liver

90
Q

What are the consequences of anaemia?

3

A

Oxygen deprivation - shortness of breath

Reduced blood viscosity - heart beats faster - turbulent flow - cardiac failure

Increased blood flow needed - increased heart rate

1. 2 Organ System Physiology (25 decks)

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