Red Blood Cells Flashcards
What is an erythrocyte?
Red Blood Cell
What is a leukocyte?
White blood cell
Where are haemopoietic stem cells produced?
Bone marrow
What is the function of an erythrocyte?
Oxygen transport
What is the function of a neutrophil?
Defence against infection by phagocytosis and killing of microorganisms
What is the function of a monocyte?
Defend against infection by phagocytosis and killing of microbes
Function of eosinophil
Defend against parasitic infection
Function of lymphocyte
Humoral and cellular immunity
Function of platelets
Haemostasis
What are the two main characteristics of HSC’s
Self renew and differentiate into other daughter cells
What two types of cells do MSC’s differentiate into?
Lymphoid stem cells and myeloid stem cells
What do lymphoid stem cells differentiate into?
Lymphocytes and platelets
What do myeloid stem cells differentiate into ?
Erythrocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and eosinophils
Where does haemopoiesis occur in the foetus?
In yolk sac and then liver and then it occurs in the bone marrow
Where does haemopoiesis occur in adults ?
Bone marrow- especially pelvis, femur and sternum
What is a progenitor cell?
A biological cell that like a stem cell has a tendency to differentiate into specific types of cells, but is already more specific than a stem cell and is pushed to differentiate into a ‘ target cell’
What is haemopoiesis regulated by?
Genes, transcription factors, growth factors and micro environment
What diseases may occur is the balance between the proliferation and differentiation of haemopoietic cells are disrupted?
Leukaemia or bone marrow failure
What is one example of a haemopoetic growth factor?
Glycoproteins
What are granulocytes and monocytes stimulated by?
G-CSF, G-MCSF and cytokines ( eg interleukins)
What are megakarycytopoisis and platelet production stimulated by?
Thrombopoietin which is produced in the bone marrow
Describe the development of RBC’s
Myeloid stem cell- proerythroblast-erythroblast(early, intermediate and late) -erythrocytes
What is required for erythropoiesis
Iron, folate and vitamin B12
What regulates erythropoiesis
The growth factor Erythropoietin . It is a glycoprotein that is synthesised in the kidney in response to hypoxia and anaemia. It then stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.
What anaemia does B12/folate deficiency cause?
Macrocytic anaemia ( bigger rbcs as they grow and are unavailable to divide)
What causes microcytic anaemia ?
Iron deficiency ( rbcs are smaller)
Describe the molecule of adult haemoglobin
It is a tetramer ( made of 4 subunits - 2 alpha and 2 beta) and each globin chain is bound to a Haem group . Each Haem group contains a ferrous iron ( Fe2+)
What is a porphyrin
A ring which holds a Fe2+ ion in haemoglobin. Each Fe2+ ion can bind to one O2 molecule.