Structure and Function of blood

Question 1

What is blood?

Answer 1

Specialised fluid (technically a tissue) composed of cells suspended in a liquid (plasma)

Question 2

Name 3 types of red blood cell?

Answer 2

Red blood cell
White blood cell
Platelets

Question 3

What are purposes of the 3 types of blood cell?

Answer 3

Fight infection
Transport oxygen
Prevent bleeding

Question 4

What is the production of blood cells termed?

Answer 4

Haemopoiesis

Haematopoiesis

Question 5

What are blood cells formed from?

Answer 5

Small pool of pluripotent stem cells

Question 6

Where does haematopoiesis happen in the embryo?

Answer 6

Yolk sac then liver

3rd to 7th month = spleen

Question 7

Where does haematopoiesis occur at birth?

Answer 7

Mostly bone marrow, liver and spleen when needed

Question 8

Where does haematopoiesis occur from birth to maturity?

Answer 8

Number of active sites in bone marrow decreases but retain ability for haematopoiesis

Question 9

Where does haematopoiesis in an adult?

Answer 9

Bone marrow of skull, ribs, sternum, pelvis, proximal ends of femur

Question 10

How many red blood cells are needed per minute?

Answer 10

100 million

Question 11

How many neutrophils are needed per minute?

Answer 11

60 million

Question 12

How many platelets are needed every minute?

Answer 12

150 million

Question 13

In what state do most stem cells sit in?

Answer 13

Quiecent

Question 14

How does a neutrophil form?

Answer 14

Myeblast to promyelocyte to myelocyte through metamyelocyte forms eventually to band forms and to neutrophils

Question 15

What do granulocytes contain and name 3 examples?

Answer 15

Granules.
Eosinophils
Basophils
Neutrophils

Question 16

Describe the structure of a neutrophil?

Answer 16

Segmented nucleus (polymorph)
Neutral staining granules

Question 17

Describe the function of a neutrophil?

Answer 17

Short life in circulation (transit to tissue)
Phagocytose invaders
Kill with granule contents and die in process
Attract other cells
Increase of body stress

Question 18

Describe the function of Eosinophils?

Answer 18

Usually bi-lobed

Bright orange/red granules

Question 19

Describe the function of eosinophils?

Answer 19

Fight parasites
Involved in hypersensitivity reactions
often elevated in patients with allergic conditions

Question 20

Describe the structure of basophils?

Answer 20

Infrequent in circulation

Large deep purple granules obscuring nucleus

Question 21

What is the function of basophils?

Answer 21

Circulation version of tissue mast cell
Mediates hypersensitivity reactions
Fc Receptors bind IgE
Granules contain histamine

Question 22

Describe the structure of monocytes?

Answer 22

Large single nucleus

Faintly staining granules, often vacuolated

Question 23

Describe the function of monocytes?

Answer 23

Circulate for a week and enter tissues to become macrophages
Kill and present antigen to lymphocytes
Attract other cells

Question 24

What lives longer, a neutrophil or a basophil?

Answer 24

basophil

Question 25

What is the structure of a lymphocyte?

Answer 25

Mature, small with condensed nucleus and rim of cytoplasm
Activated (often called atypical) large with plentiful blue cytoplasm extending round neighbouring red cells on the film, nucleus more “open” structure

Question 26

Describe the function of lymphocytes?

Answer 26

Numerous types and functions
Cognate response to infection
Brains of the immune system

Question 27

How is immunophenotyping done?

Answer 27

Expression profile of proteins (antigens) on the surface of cells

Question 28

How are bio-assays measured?

Answer 28

Culture in vitro and show lineage of progeny in different growth conditions

Question 29

What 4 ways can you examine the haemopoietic system?

Answer 29

Look at peripheral blood
Look at bone marrow
Specialised tests of bone marrow
Look at other sites of relevance to blood i.e. hepatomegaly etc.

Question 30

Where is a common site for bone marrow aspiration and biopsy?

Answer 30

Posterior iliac crests