Red Blood Cells

Question 1

Where is the highest blood pressure found?

Answer 1

Heart

Question 2

What are the functions of blood?

Answer 2

Transport
Regulation of pH and osmosis
Maintenance of body temperature
Defence against foreign substances
Regulation of haemostasis and coagulation

Question 3

What are the components of blood?

Answer 3

Plasma
Erythrocytes
Leukocytes
Thrombocytes
Haematocrit - Fractional contribution of erythrocytes

Question 4

What cells form the “buffy coat” of a blood sample?

Answer 4

WBC and platelets

Question 5

What percentage of plasma is water?

Answer 5

90%

Question 6

What are the three main proteins found in plasma?

Answer 6

Albumin
Globulins
Fibrinogen

Question 7

What is serum?

Answer 7

Plasma from which fibrinogen and other clotting proteins have been removed

Question 8

Where do all blood cells originate from?

Answer 8

Pluripotential hematopoietic stem cells (PHSCs)

Question 9

What is the name of the process by which PHSCs transform into RBCs

Answer 9

Erythropoiesis

Question 10

What is the process by which PHSCs transform into WBCs?

Answer 10

Leucopoiesis

Question 11

What is the name of the process by which PHSCs transform into platelets?

Answer 11

thrombopoiesis

Question 12

What do most PHSCs differentiate into before becoming a specific cell type?

Answer 12

Committed stem cells or progenitor cells

Question 13

What protein-signalling molecules drive cellular production?

Answer 13

Cytokines

Question 14

How many erythrocytes are in the body per litre?

Answer 14

5x10^12 cells per L

Question 15

What is the major function of erythrocytes?

Answer 15

Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Transport

Question 16

Why are erythrocytes flexible?

Answer 16

It allows them to pass through the smallest capillaries in the body

Question 17

What protein is present in erythrocytes?

Answer 17

Haemoglobin

Question 18

What is the first major cell on the path of erythropoiesis?

Answer 18

Proerythroblast

Question 19

When does the final stage of a reticulocyte becoming an erythrocyte occur?

Answer 19

As it is released from bone marrow into the circulatory system

Question 20

What enzymes are needed for the high rates of DNA synthesis of RBCs?

Answer 20

Folic acid and Vitamin B12

Question 21

What do RBCs lack?

Answer 21

Nuclei
Mitochondria
Ribosomes

Question 22

What is hypoxia?

Answer 22

Low O2 levels in tissue

Question 23

What cells secrete erythropoietin to promote RBC production?

Answer 23

Hypoxic kidney cells

Question 24

What does EPO do?

Answer 24

Increased production of proerythroblasts
Increased haemoglobin synthesis
Increases production and reticulocytes

Question 25

How can hypoxia occur?

Answer 25

Low blood volume Anaemia Low Haemoglobin Poor blood flow Pulmonary disease High Altitude

Question 26

What mass of haemoglobin is found per litre of blood?

Answer 26

12-17g

Question 27

What is the maximum ml of oxygen that 1g of haemoglobin can bind to?

Answer 27

1.34ml

Question 28

What does oxygen bind to on the haemoglobin molecule?

Answer 28

Haeme group (iron)

Question 29

What is the average lifespan of RBCs?

Answer 29

120 days

Question 30

Why do erythrocytes only survive for this long?

Answer 30

Decreased glycolysis Reduced ATP Loss of membrane flexibility Self-destruct in Red pulp of spleen

Question 31

What is the fate of haemoglobin following cell death?

Answer 31

Absorbed by macrophages Iron recycled to bone marrow or liver porphyrin ring converted to bile pigment bilirubin Protein subunits degraded to amino acids

Question 32

What is Anaemia?

Answer 32

Deficiency in O2 carrying capacity of blood

Question 33

How is blood's inability to carry oxygen caused?

Answer 33

A low haematocrit Low haemoglobin concentration in erythrocytes

Question 34

What is the result of anaemia?

Answer 34

hypoxia

Question 35

What are common symptoms of anaemia?

Answer 35

Feelings of tiredness Lack of energy Pale skin/pallor

Question 36

What is the most common form of anaemia?

Answer 36

Iron Deficiency Anaemia

Question 37

What are the underlying causes of Iron Deficiency Anaemia?

Answer 37

Blood loss Increased demands Malabsorption Poor diet (contributing factor)

Question 38

What is polycythaemia?

Answer 38

Abnormal increase in RBC count

Question 39

What is Polycythaemia Vera?

Answer 39

Genetic aberration resulting in excessive proliferation of erythroblasts

Question 40

What is secondary Polycythaemia?

Answer 40

Increased RBC count caused by tissue hypoxia

Question 41

What do all RBCs express?

Answer 41

H antigen

Question 42

What is the biological family to which the H antigen belongs?

Answer 42

Glycoprotein/Glycolipid

Question 43

What is produced by humans that modify the H antigen?

Answer 43

A antigen, B antigen, O antigen

Question 44

What does the A antigen do?

Answer 44

Add an alpha-n-acetylgalactosamine to the D-galactose end of the H antigen

Question 45

What does the B antigen do?

Answer 45

Add a D-galactose to the D-galactose end of the H antigen

Question 46

What does the O antigen do?

Answer 46

No change to the A antigen

Question 47

What other functions do antigens have?

Answer 47

Suppressing the anti anti-bodies of the same blood type

Question 48

Order the overarching blood types in regard to their frequency

Answer 48

O A B AB

Question 49

What happens in a blood transfusion of mismatched blood?

Answer 49

Antibodies attach to cells causing clumping or agglutination Small blood vessels are plugged White blood cells destroy membrane of agglutinated cells releasing haemoglobin into the plasma

Question 50

What are Rh antigens?

Answer 50

Transmembrane proteins

Question 51

What are the 6 common types of Rh antigens?

Answer 51

C D E c d e

Question 52

What is the most prevalent and most antigenic Rh antigen?

Answer 52

D

Question 53

What antigens make up Rh negative blood?

Answer 53

dd

Question 54

What happens if a Rh+ donor gives blood to a Rh- recipient?

Answer 54

Recipient's blood develops anti-D antibodies Subsequent infusions trigger agglutination

Question 55

What is erythroblastosis fetalis?

Answer 55

Mother is Rh-, Father is Rh-, Foetus is Rh+ Causes anti-Rh antibody formation in response to foetus' Rh+ factor Causes red blood cell agglutination or haemolysis

Question 56

What foetus is most vulnerable to erythroblastosis fetalis?

Answer 56

2nd and subsequent foetuses

Question 57

How does the infant appear at birth following erythroblastosis fetalis?

Answer 57

Jaundiced and usually anaemic

Question 58

How is erythroblastosis fetalis treated?

Answer 58

Anti-D antibody administered during pregnancy which inhibits maternal production of anti-Rh agglutinins

Question 59

What blood type is the universal donor blood?

Answer 59

Type O-

Question 60

Why is the universal blood type called such?

Answer 60

Donated RBCs do not express A, B or + antigens containing antibodies

Question 61

What blood type is the universal recipient?

Answer 61

Type AB+

Question 62

Why is the universal recipient known as such?

Answer 62

Contains all antibodies which allow it to accept all variants of blood