Red Blood Cells Flashcards
What is haematopoiesis?
Formation and development of blood cells
What is erythropoiesis?
Formation of red blood cells
Where are RBCs produced?
Bone marrow
What are RBC’s derived from?
Pluripotent haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs)
HSCs give rise to lymphoid stem cells and myeloid stem cells
What are 2 characteristics of HSCs?
They self renew- some daughter cells remain as HSCs
They differentiate to mature progeny- other daughter cells follow a different pathway
What are sites of haematopoiesis in a fetus?
YOLK SAC: - 3 weeks -HSCs derived from mesoderm -Primitive RBCs, Platelet precursors and macrophages made here LIVER: - 6-8 weeks -HSC maintenance and expansion BONE MARROW: - approx. 10 weeks -starts developing haematopoietic activity
What are sites of haematopoiesis in an adult?
Mainly in bone marrow
What are sites of haematopoiesis in children?
Occurs in nearly all bones
What is haematopoiesis regulated by?
Genes, transcription factors, growth factors and microenvironment
What does disruption in the regulation of haematopoietic stem cells result in?
Disturbs the balance between proliferation and differentiation and can lead to leukaemia or bone marrow failure
What growth factors are involved in the regulation of haematopoietic activity?
Glycoprotein hormones bind to cell surface receptors and regulate proliferation and differentiation of HSCs and regulate function of RBCs
They’re synthesised in the kidney
Granulocyte and monocyte production requires growth factors G-CSF and G-M CSF
What hormone does erythropoiesis require?
Erythropoietin
It’s mainly synthesised in the kidneys when they detect hypoxia and anemia
90% is made in juxta tubular interstitial cells of kidney
and 10% from liver
What is the role of erythropoietin?
It’s a glycoprotein hormone which stimulates the bone marrow to make more RBCs
How are RBCs made
Common myeloid progenitor can give rise to proerythroblasts
Proerythroblasts gives rise to erythroblasts and erythrocytes
What are nucleated RBCs?
Nucleated RBCs are immature RBCs- they’re released because there’s a high demand for bone marrow to produce RBCs
What are requirements for erythropoiesis?
Iron, Folate, Vitamin B12, Erythropoietin
How long is a RBCs life cycle?
120 days
How are RBCs destroyed?
Macrophages of spleen detect old RBCs and destroy them
RBC destruction releases globin and Haem
What does Haem release?
Haem releases iron and bilirubin
Bilirubin is taken to liver, stored and eventually excreted into gut
What happens to iron once its been released by a RBC?
Iron is recycled to bone marrow
What does DNA synthesis need?
Adenosine, Thymidine, Cytidine and Guanosine- these come from dATP, dTTP, dGTP and dCTP
What do you need to make dTTP?
B12 and folate- deficiency of there means thymidine can’t be made so you cant made DNA so you cant make new cells
What does B12 and folate deficiency affect?
Affects all rapidly dividing cells e.g. epithelial surface of gut and moth, bone marrow and gonads
Where does B12 come from?
Meat, eggs, dairy
Where does folate come from?
Leafy green vegetables
How is B12 absorbed?
STOMACH:
B12 combines with intrinsic factors (IF) made in gastric parietal cells
SMALL INTESTINE:
B12-IF binds to receptors in ileum