Red Blood Cells, Blood Types

Question 1

What are the main components of blood?

Answer 1

Question 2

Differences between plasma and hematocrit

Answer 2

Plasma -> Water, proteins (albumin, fibrinogen, globulins), electrolytes

Hematocrit -> Cellular elements (RBCs)

Question 3

What is serum?

Answer 3

Serum = Plasma - Clotting Factors

Question 4

Unique features of red blood cells

Answer 4

Erythrocytes (RBCs) have a lifespan of 120 days, they are _non-nucleated, no mitochondri_a, and biconcave

-2,3-biphosphoglycerate helps RBCs to bind oxygen, and is a measure of RBC health
-Carbonic anhydrase -> enzyme that helps with gas exchange in alveoli
-Normal hemoglobin levels:
45% (15g/dl) Men
40% (14g/dl) Women

Question 5

What are the different types of anemia?

Answer 5

Anemia -> lower than normal # RBCs or quantity of hemoglobin

-Blood loss anemia -> hemorrhage
Hemolytic anemia -> sickle cell, autoimmune disease
Microcytic anemia -> lack of iron, low hemoglobin concentration
Megaloblastic anemia -> B12, folate deficiency
Polycthemia vera -> thick blood due to increase in Hb, hematocrit and circulating RBCs. Primary is genetic (JAK2), not inheritable, and secondary is aquired (low 02 for a while in blood)

Question 6

Describe the life cycle of the RBC (erythropoises)

Answer 6

Generation of RBCs in the body

Reticulocytes -> when nucleus is degraded
Erythrocytes -> mature RBCs

Question 7

How are RBCs regulated?

Answer 7

Reduced O2 levels in the blood cause kidneys to release erythropoietin -> transported to bone marrow (erythropoiesis) -> new RBCs in blood

Question 8

How could you blood dope? What are the benefits?

Answer 8

You will increase the carrying capacity of O2 in your blood

• recombinant human EPO
• injection of RBCs
• train at high altitudes

Question 9

__________ are on the surface of RBCs, and what determines the blood type

Answer 9

Antigens (agglutinogens) are on the surface of RBCs, and what determines the blood type

Different genotypes contribute to blood type, can have recessive allele that makes blood type different from parents

Question 10

Agglutinins are what?

Answer 10

Antibodies that a red blood cell makes against the agglutinogens of other red blood cells
Ex. A agglutinogens will produce anti-B agglutinins

Question 11

What is the Rh system?

Answer 11

Rh -> are transmembrane proteins that help transport ammonia

D is most common and most antigenic = Rh+ (have Rh agglutinogen)

• 85% whites/>95% blacks/asians
• Rh negative people develop anti-Rh agglutinins to Rh+ factor exposure

Question 12

Blood cell combatibility table

Answer 12

Question 13

What is Erythroblastosis fetalis?

Answer 13

Hemolytic disease of the newborn

• destroyed fetal RBCs
• RhoGAM drug to prevent

Question 14

What are different blood reactions?

Answer 14

Mismatched blood -> can cause agglutination, RBC clumping

_RBC destructio_n -> hemolysis by immune cells, hemoglobin converted to Bilirubin

This can all lead to circulatory shock or kidney failure