SFP: Histology of Peripheral Blood Flashcards
Specify the formed elements in blood
Erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets
What is the ground substance in blood?
Plasma
What is hematocrit?
The percentage by volume of packed erythrocytes in a sample following centrifuging.
What is found in the buffy coat?
Leukocytes and platelets.
Describe the difference between plasma and serum.
Serum is plasma without fibrinogen
Describe the composition of plasma
92% water and 7-8% plasma proteins, and solutes. Solutes include electrolytes, gases, nutrients, and metabolic products.
Coagulation of blood yields…
A clot and serum
What are the main components in clot formation
Fibrin, erythrocytes, and platelets
Name the plasma proteins from largest to smallest
Gamma, beta, a2, a1, albumin
Albumin makes up around ___% of plasma, and globulins make up around ___%
58, 37
Describe the structure of erythrocytes and specify their main functions.
They’re biconcave discs that do not have nuclei, mitochondria, or other organelles. Plasma proteins are coupled to the cytoskeleton, allowing the cell to stretch and deform to allow them to pass through capillaries. They have a high surface to volume ratio that allows for exchange of gases across the plasma membrane.
What is spectrin?
A cytoskeletal protein that gives RBCs their flexibility
What are rouleaux? What is their function?
A stack of erythrocytes; this formation allows them to pass single file through capillaries
Describe the types of hemoglobin expressed at different stages of development.
Alpha: found in a fetus as well as adults
Beta: found in adults
Delta: seen some in adults, but typically not as much and alpha and beta
Gamma: fetal hemoglobin; declines after birth
Describe poikilocytosis and anisocytosis
RBC abnormalities in shape and size respectfully
What is carbonic anhydrase?
Enzyme in the cytoplasm that catalyzes the conversions between CO2 and HCO3
Name the granulocytes
Neutrophils, eiosinophils, basophils
Name the agranulocytes
Monocytes and lymphocytes
Describe the structure of granular and agranular leukocytes and their corresponding functions.
Granulocytes are often polymorphonuclear and primary granules aka lymphocytes. Agranulocytes have few granules.
What is a barr body?
The inactive X chromosome in females visible as an appendage of a nuclear lobe in a neutrophil
Distinguish between primary and secondary granules in neutrophils.
Primary granules are large and contain lysosomal proteases and other proteins. secondary granules are much smaller and contain various proteases and enzymes. Primary granules stain purple, while secondary granules are responsible for the salmon color of the cytoplasm when the neutrophil is stained
What are the main functions of neutrophils?
-Inflammatory responses via secretion of cytokines and chemokines
-Utilizing NADPH oxidase for the respiratory burst in response to infectious agents.
which white blood cell uses NADPH oxidase?
neutrophils
Where are neutrophils formed?
In the bone marrow
- What kind of nucleus is seen in eosinophils?
Bilobed
Describe primary and secondary granules in eosinophils
The primary granules are fewer in number and less prominent than the specific granules. The primaries function as lysosomes. The secondaries contain a crystalline core composed of major basic protein and contain peroxidase, phosphatase, lipase, and ECP
What are the functions of eosinophils?
Involved in fighting infections (namely parasitic worms) and allergic reactions.
Describe primary and secondary granules in basophils
The primary granules are few in number and function as lysosomes, while the secondary granules are quite large and prominent.
What are the functions of basophils?
They function like mast cells and secrete heparin and histamine in response to antigens and allergens
Describe the structure of lymphocytes
They have a large nucleus that is spherical with condensed chromatin that occupies most of the volume of the cell. They have a few primary granules, but no specific granules.
what are the three main classes of lymphocytes?
B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, and natural killer cells
Describe the structure and function of monocytes
They have a large c-shaped nucleus. They have a basophilic cytoplasm with visible vacuoles. they have some primary but no specific granules. They travel in the blood and become macrophages
Know the relative percentages of leukocytes in the blood of normal adults.
Neutrophils: 54-65%
Eosinophils: 1-3%
Basophils: less than 1%
Lymphocytes: 25-33%
Monocytes: 3-7%
Describe the structure and function of platelets.
They’re membrane bound cell fragments with no nucleus. They’re important in clotting. They contain a granulomere (stains heavily) and a hyalomere (clear ring around the granulomere that doesn’t stain much).
which two elements are visible in a platlet?
hyalomere and granulomere
What are the elements in hyalomeres
marginal bundle (microtubules and microfilaments), open canalicular system, ER, glycocalyx
what element of the hyalomere facilitates contraction via calcium release?
the open canalicular system
What are the elements in granulomeres
alpha granules, delta granules, glycogen granules
what are found in alpha granules in a granulomere
platlet-derived growth factor, TGF beta, p-selectin
what are found in delta granules in a granulomere
serotonin, ATP, ADP
what are found in glycogen granules in a granulomere
glycogen
which white blood cell has heparin and histamine in its secondary granules?
basophils
which white blood cell has MBP in its secondary granules?
eosinophils
which white blood cell has many proteases in its secondary granules?
neutrophils
what leukocyte would likely be found in someone with chronic inflammatory conditions such as asthma?
eosinophils
