The Constituents of Blood and Eyrthropoiesis

Question 1

What is the liquid of blood called?

Answer 1

Plasma

Question 2

What is serum?

Answer 2

This is the name given to plasma when clotting factors are removed.

Question 3

Where is bone marrow found in adults?

Answer 3

Axial skeleton

Question 4

What are the 2 subgroups that can be produced by multiple progenitor cells?

Answer 4

Myeloid

Lymphoid

Question 5

Can precursor cells be easily identified?

Answer 5

No, they require immunophenotyping to identify them by the antigens they express.

Question 6

Do RBCs have a nucleus?

Answer 6

No

Question 7

Why are reticulocytes purple?

Answer 7

They are immature RBCs that have not yet lost their residual RNA.

Question 8

What cell produces platelets?

Answer 8

Megakaryocyte

Question 9

What are the 3 forms of granulocyte?

Answer 9

Eosinophil
Basophil
Neutrophil

Question 10

What colour do eosinophils stain?

Answer 10

Red/Pink

Question 11

What colour do basophils stain?

Answer 11

Blue

Question 12

What is the most common WBC?

Answer 12

Neutrophils

Question 13

How do neutrophils attack a pathogen?

Answer 13

Phagocytosis

Degranulation (which activates the complement system)

Question 14

When are eosinophils typically elevated?

Answer 14

Allergic conditions

Question 15

What is the role of a monocyte when it is in tissue?

Answer 15

Acts as a macrophage.

Carries out phagocytosis and acts as an APC.

Question 16

When are lymphocytes elevated?

Answer 16

Viral infection

Question 17

What is the single best test used to identify haematopoietic stem cells?

Answer 17

Immunophenotyping

Question 18

Where is the most common site of bone marrow biopsy?

Answer 18

Posterior iliac crests.

Question 19

What is the benefit to RBCs having a biconcave shape?

Answer 19

Allows for a high surface area:volume ratio.

Question 20

Do RBCs have mitochondria?

Answer 20

No - as a result they can only carry out glycolysis.

Question 21

How do RBCs produce energy?

Answer 21

Glycolysis only - there are no mitochondria to carry out the citric acid cycle.

Question 22

Which form of iron is needed to bind haemoglobin?

Answer 22

Fe2+

Question 23

What controls erythropoiesis?

Answer 23

Oxygen

Question 24

What chemical is released from the juxtaglomerular cells of the kidney to increase RBC production?

Answer 24

Erythropoietin

Question 25

Why is erythropoietin released?

Answer 25

To combat hypoxia.

Question 26

What can cause a failure in erythropoietin production?

Answer 26

Kidney disease Can be given exogenously to circumvent this.

Question 27

Where is the main place for RBC breakdown?

Answer 27

The spleen.

Question 28

How is heme broken down?

Answer 28

It is split into iron and porphyrin. The porphyrin ring is then degraded to unconjugated bilirubin, which is then stored in the liver.

Question 29

What can cause the oxidation of Fe2+ into Fe3+?

Answer 29

Free radicals (e.g. HPO) These can damage RBCs.

Question 30

What is Fe3+ within Hb called?

Answer 30

MetHb

Question 31

What acts to defend against hydrogen peroxide (a free radical)?

Answer 31

Glutathione This oxidises HPO to prevent its action.

Question 32

What regenerates glutathione?

Answer 32

NADPH This is limited by G6PD.

Question 33

What inheritance is seen in G6PD disorders?

Answer 33

X-linked This is more common in males.

Question 34

How is most of the body's CO2 carried to the lungs?

Answer 34

Bicarbonate

Question 35

How many molecules of oxygen are held on each Hb molecule?

Answer 35

4

Question 36

What globin chains are involved in adult Hb?

Answer 36

2 alpha | 2 beta

Question 37

What globin chains are involved in foetal Hb?

Answer 37

2 alpha | 2 gamma

Question 38

What role does generation of 2-3DPG have on O2 saturation?

Answer 38

It causes it to drop, producing a greater O2 release at tissues.

Question 39

What is haemopoiesis?

Answer 39

The formation of blood cells.

Question 40

What is the lifespan of a RBC?

Answer 40

120 days

Question 41

What is the lifespan of a neutrophil?

Answer 41

7-8 hours

Question 42

What is the lifespan of a platelet?

Answer 42

7-10 days

Question 43

If haemopoiesis is stopped, which cell will be first to disappear?

Answer 43

Neutrophils - as these have the shortest lifespan.

Question 44

What are myelocytes?

Answer 44

A precursor of both myeloblasts and neutrophils.

Question 45

What cell is the only one capable of self-renewal?

Answer 45

Haematopoietic stem cells.

Question 46

What is maturation?

Answer 46

Acquiring of function/proteins of a specific cell type.

Question 47

At which week of development does the bone marrow take over as the predominant site of haematopoiesis?

Answer 47

Week 16

Question 48

Which 2 systems allow blood to enter the bone marrow?

Answer 48

Periosteal arteries | Nutrient artery system

Question 49

What happens to marrow cellularity with age?

Answer 49

It decreases. Haematopoietic cells become replaced with fat.

Question 50

What is the myeloid:erythroid ratio?

Answer 50

Refers to the proportion of granulocyte precursors to erythrocyte precursors. Myeloid should be higher as these need replaced more rapidly.

Question 51

What does a greater number of myeloid precursors than erythroid precursors indicate?

Answer 51

Normal patient.

Question 52

What does a greater number of erythroid precursors than myeloid precursors indicate?

Answer 52

Haemolysis - a compensatory mechanism.

Question 53

What stimulates neutrophil development?

Answer 53

G-CSF

Question 54

What test is used to identify cells which are morphologically indistinguishable?

Answer 54

Immunophenotyping