S6) The Spleen, White Blood Cells & Cytopenia Flashcards

1
Q

Where is the spleen located?

A

The spleen is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen

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2
Q

Describe the contents and structure of the spleen

A
  • Red pulp – sinuses lined by endothelial macrophages and cords
  • White pulp – similar structure to lymphoid follicles
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3
Q

Blood enters the spleen via the splenic artery.

Where do the different blood cells go?

A
  • White cells and plasma preferentially passing through the white pulp
  • Red cells preferentially passing through the red pulp
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4
Q

Explain how the spleen acts as a blood filter

A
  • The red pulp removes old red cells and metabolises the haemoglobin
  • The white pulp synthesises antibodies and removes antibody-coated bacteria and blood cells
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5
Q

Describe four situations where splenomegaly is usually seen

A
  • Increased workload e.g. haemolytic anaemia (increased number of defective red cells)
  • Congestion e.g. portal hypertension (increases back pressure)
  • Infiltration by leukaemias and lymphomas
  • Expansion due to accumulation of metabolic waste products
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6
Q

What is hyposplenism?

A

Hyposplenism is the term used to describe reduced splenic function and is associated with an increased risk of overwhelming sepsis

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7
Q

What are some causes of hyposplenism?

A
  • Underlying diseases which destroy spleen tissue e.g. sickle-cell disease, coeliac disease
  • Splenic rupture from trauma/tumour
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8
Q

A blood film from a patient with hyposplenism will typically reveal which structures?

A

Howell-Jolly bodies which are basophilic nuclear remnants in circulating erythrocytes

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9
Q

Explain how Howell-Jolly bodies are formed and why they are a good indicator of splenic function

A
  • During erythropoiesis, erythroblasts normally expel their nuclei but in some cases a small portion of DNA remains
  • Normally such cells would be removed by the spleen so the presence of Howell-Jolly bodies is a good indicator of reduced splenic function
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10
Q

The term cytopenia is used to describe a reduction in the number of blood cells. It takes a number of forms.

Identify and describe them

A
  • Low red cell count = anaemia
  • Low white blood = leucopenia
  • Low neutrophil count = neutropenia
  • Low platelet count = thrombocytopenia
  • Low red cells, white cells, and platelets = pancytopenia
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11
Q

An increase in the number of blood cells is signified by the suffix cytosis or philia. This takes a number of forms.

Identify and describe them

A
  • High red cell count = erythrocytosis
  • High white blood = leucocytosis
  • High neutrophil count = neutrophilia
  • High lymphocyte count = lymphocytosis
  • High platelet count = thrombocytosis
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12
Q

Unlike erythrocytes and platelets, all leucocytes have a nucleus.

How can they be classified?

A
  • By their structure (granulocytes and agranulocytes)
  • By their cell lineage (myeloid cells and lymphoid cells)
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13
Q

According to their morphological and functional characteristics, these broad categories can be further divided into the five main types of leucocyte.

Identify these

A
  • Basophils (granulocytes and myeloid)
  • Neutrophils (granulocytes and myeloid)
  • Eosinophils (granulocytes and myeloid)
  • Monocytes (agranular and myeloid)
  • Lymphocytes (agranular and lymphoid)
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14
Q

Describe the different staining characteristics of granulocytes with H&E

A
  • Basophils stain dark blue
  • Eosinophils stain bright red
  • Neutrophils stain a neutral pink
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15
Q

What are neutrophils and what do they do?

A
  • Neutrophils are the most abundant type leucocyte and are an essential part of the innate immune system
  • They are short-lived and highly mobile cells that can migrate into tissues to destroy pathogens
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16
Q

How is neutrophil function controlled?

A

Neutrophil function is controlled by the glycoprotein granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)

17
Q

What is the effect of G-CSF on neutrophils?

A
  • Increases their production in bone marrow
  • Decreases their maturation time
  • Enhances chemotaxis and phagocytosis
18
Q

Identify some possible causes of neutrophilia (a high number of neutrophils in blood)?

A
  • Bacterial infection
  • Acute inflammation
  • Drugs e.g. prednisone
  • Malignancy
  • Myeloproliferative diseases
  • Acute haemorrhage
19
Q

Neutropenia is often seen in life threatening bacterial / fungal infection.

Identify some causes of this

A
  • Increased removal due to immune destruction or splenic pooling
  • Reduced production due to B12/folate deficiency, infiltration by malignancy or fibrosis, aplastic anaemia, drugs, viruses
20
Q

What are monocytes and what do they do?

A
  • Monocytes are the largest type of leucocyte
  • They circulate in the blood for ~1-3 days before moving into tissues and differentiating into tissue resident macrophages or dendritic cells
21
Q

Monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells serve three main functions.

What are these?

A
  • Phagocytosis
  • Antigen presentation
  • Cytokine production
22
Q

What are the possible causes of monocytosis?

A
  • Chronic inflammatory conditions e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, lupus (SLE), Crohn’s disease,ulcerative colitis
  • Chronic infections e.g. tuberculosis, myeloproliferative disorders, malignancies
23
Q

What are eosinophils?

A

Eosinophils are leucocytes which have a bi-lobed nucleus and an important role in immune responses to multicellular parasites (helminths)

24
Q

What do eosinophils do?

A

Release of their granular contents which contains enzymes, ROS, various leukotrienes and cytokines aids in the destruction and subsequent phagocytosis of invading pathogens

25
Q

What are the possible causes of eosinophilia?

A
  • Allergic diseases (asthma, eczema, hay fever)
  • Drug hypersensitivity (penicillin)
  • Parasitic infection (helminths)
  • Lymphoma, leukaemia & myeloproliferative conditions
26
Q

What are basophils?

A

Basophils are the least numerous leucocyte and contain large cytoplasmic granules which may obscure the cell nucleus when stained in microscopy

27
Q

What are the possible causes of basophilia?

A
  • Inflammatory conditions e.g. ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis
  • Immediate hypersensitivity reactions to drugs, food or inhalants
  • Infections e.g. chicken pox, influenza and TB
  • Myeloproliferative neoplasms e.g. leukemia, essential thrombocythemia
28
Q

What are the three different types of lymphocytes and what do they do?

A
  • NK cells which function in cell-mediated cytotoxic innate immunity
  • T cells which facilitate cell-mediated adaptive immunity
  • B cells which facilitate humoral, antibody-driven adaptive immunity
29
Q

What are the possible causes of lymphocytosis?

A
  • In children – infection
  • In the elderly patients – lymphoproliferative malignancies e.g. chronic lymphocytic leukaemia T- or NK- cell leukaemia and lymphomas
30
Q

What is pancytopenia?

A

Pancytopenia is used to describe the condition where there is a reduction in the number of erythrocytes, leucocytes and platelets

31
Q

Describe some possible causes of pancytopenia?

A
  • Decreased production by bone marrow – B12/folate deficiency, malignancy or fibrosis, aplastic anaemia, drugs, viruses
  • Increased splenic removal– hypersplenism, irradiation, drug insult, acute viral infection
32
Q

How does pancytopenia present?

A
  • Symptoms of anaemia (fatigue, dizziness, chest pain, SOB)
  • Symptoms of thrombocytopenia (bleeding, bruising)
  • Symptoms of neutropenia (infection, ulcers, fever)
  • Symptoms of underlying disease condition