WBC's Flashcards
Name three granulocytes
neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils
Name the two agranulocytes
monocytes, leukocytes
Describe the normal neutrophil in appearance
stained deep reddish purple, cytoplasm stains pink with faint granules, 3-4 segment lobes
How long does a neutrophil live for?
5 days or circulate for 10 hrs
What is the ‘marginal pool’?
WBC’s adhere to vessel walls and last a little longer
Define ‘apoptosis’
when wbc migrate to tissue and die off. destroyed in liver, spleen and bone marrow
Where are the majority of stored neutrophils kept?
bone marrow
What is the primary function of neutrophils?
defense in inflammatory response - will kill bacteria and take on fungi, algae, and viruses
What do the granules in a neutrophil contain?
breaking things up, destroying
Define neutropenia
a decrease in the absolute numbers of neutrophils
Name 2 to 3 causes of neutropenia
increased demand, decrease bone marrow production, increase marginalization
Define ‘(severe) left shift’
increased numbers of immature neutrophils
What is a leukemoid reaction?
severe number of neutrophils combined with increase number of immature neutrophils
Define toxic neutrophils
neutrophil with visible granules
Define dysgranulopoiesis
poor creation of the granulocytes
What is IMHA?
Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia
What would cause a decrease in bone marrow production of neutrophils?
reaction to drugs, toxic chemicals or plants, infectious agents, etc.
What is the relationship between neutrophilia and leukocytosis?
Neutrophilia is considered the most common type of leukocytosis
Can you see a left shift in both neutrophilia and neutropenia?
yes
Name three or more chronic lesions associated with neutrophilia
stress, physical reaction, inflammation
Where do the basophils live the majority of their time?
formed in bone marrow
What process are the basophils involved in?
inflammation
What are in the basophil granules and what does each do?
- Heparin - Keeps clots from forming
- Histamine - Keep capillaries dilated
- Serotonin - vasoconstrictor
What is basopenia?
Decrease in circulating number of basophils - VERY rare
What is basophilia?
increase in the number of basophils
Which is seen more often, basophilia or basopenia?
Basophilia
Name two or more causes of basophilia
allergies or hypersensitivity, parasites, hyperlipidemia
Describe the appearance of basophils
cytoplasm is light blue and will have noticeable granules
How do the granules differ between dogs and cats?
- Dogs - Easily distinguished, cytoplasm is light blue, few discrete dark granules
- Cats - Numerous round lavender granules, not distinct. Cytoplasm appears grey.
Describe the appearance of Eosinophils
large granulocytes, nucleus usually two large lobes, cytoplasm pale, chromatin coarse and clumped
What is the main function or functions of eosinophils?
- parasitic response
- allergic response - deactivate heparin and histamine
Define eosinopenia
Decreased numbers of eosinophils
Define eosinophilia
Increased numbers of eosinophils
Name three or more causes of eosinophilia
Allergies, parasites, neoplasia, foreign body, fungi
How do the granules of eosinophils differ between dogs, cats, and horses?
- Dog: varying numbers of round orange to red granules
- Cats: numerous rod shaped orange to red granules
Describe the normal appearance of the monocyte
nucleus stains pale blue-violet, a lot of cytoplasm that stains light blue, the shape of the nucleus can vary - round, bean shape, dented or folded, pale granules in cytoplasm
Describe the relationship between monocytes and macrophages
circulating monocytes form macrophages
How does the release of monocytes into circulation differ from other white blood cells?
they are not mature cells
What is the normal function of monocytes?
- second major branch of circulating phagocyte system
- regulate the inflammatory process
- antigen process
What is monocytopenia?
decrease in monocytes numbers
What is monocytosis?
increased amount in monocyte numbers
Which of these two is more common, monocytopenia or monocytosis?
monocytosis
How do B&T lymphocytes differ?
- B- form in bone marrow
- T- form in thymus
Which is more common, B or T lymphocytes?
T
Describe the normal appearance of a lymphocyte
mostly nucleus filled cell, cytoplasm is blue, don’t usually see granules
Which normally has a greater number of lymphocytes, dogs or cats?
cats
What is the main function of lymphocytes?
immune response
Name two or more unique characteristics of lymphocytes
- large, dark nucleus
- live for decades
- only white bc that can recirculate
Define lymphopenia
decrease in circulating lymphocytes
Define lymphocytosis
increase in circulating lymphocytes
Name two or more causes of lymphocytosis
excitement, antigen stimulation, lymphocyte anemia
What are activated lymphocytes?
represents an appropriate response to an antigen stimulation, also called reactive lymphocytes
How does an activated lymphocyte differ in appearance from a normal lymphocyte?
large nuclei, large cytoplasm azurophilic granules
Define band cell
An immature white blood cell that is released into the blood during an infection
Do only neutrophils have band cells?
No
Define ‘regenerative shift’
High #’s band cells with an inc. total wbc count
Is a regenerative shift a normal process?
Yes
Define ‘degenerative shift’
high number of band cells with a normal or low total WBC count
Is a degenerative shift a normal process?
No
Define metamyelocyte
even more immature form of neutrophil, severe disease condition, not normally seen
Do only neutrophils have metamyelocytes?
no
Define pathologic cell
abnormal in appearance +/or function
Define reactive cell
normal response
Define hypersegmentation
neutrophils have more nuclear lobes than normal
Define Pelger-Huet anomaly
abnormal looking neutrophils - less than 3 lobes, severe infections and burns
Where is the Pelger-Huet anomaly seen?
bone marrow
Define Barr bodies
projections from lobe of female cat neutrophil nucleus
Define karyorrhexis
process that breaks down the nucleus of a cell, resulting in the release of nuclear material into the cytoplasm
Define karyolysis
the process by which a cell nucleus dissolves
Define Döhle bodies
small blue-gray patches of cytoplasm, near edge of cell
Define toxic granulation
the granules in neutrophils appear larger, darker, and more numerous than usual
What is thrombopoietin?
a hormone that regulates thrombocytes production
Where are platelets generally distributed?
directly into the bloodstream, stored in spleen
What is the main function of platelets?
seal minor breaks in blood vessels, or work with fibrin to form
What is the average lifespan of a platelet?
3-7 days in dogs and cats
Describe the general appearance of a platelet
oval slightly elongated discs, pale blue cytoplasm, younger platelets are larger size
How does the appearance of platelets differ between dogs and cats?
cats have larger platelets than dogs
What are pseudopodia?
activated platelets - spider like appearance
When are pseudopodia seen?
amoebas or single celled organisms ACTIVATED PLATELETS
What is IMTP?
immune mediated thrombocytopenia
What species normally have macroplatelets?
cats
What is the normal number of platelets?
- cat: 300,000 - 800,000
- dogs: 200,000 - 600,000
Define thrombocytopenia
decreased number of platelets in circulation
What is petechia?
pinpoint bleeding
What is purpura?
larger type of hemorrhage
What is ecchymosis?
bruising
Name two or more categories of thrombocytopenia
IMTC, increased platelet removal
Give two or more causes of increased platelet removal
immune mediated thrombocytes, 2 non immune mediated thrombocytes
Define secondary immune mediated thrombocytopenia
most common canine hemostatic disorder
Name five or more conditions associated with secondary immune mediated thrombocytopenia
lupus, IMHA, rheumatoid arthritis
Define allo-IMTP
maternal antibodies cross placental barrier and attack
Define secondary non-immune mediated thrombocytopenia
Name two or more causes of non-immune mediated thrombocytopenia
What is the most common canine hemostatic disorder?
What is hypersplenism?
What is thrombocytosis?
What are the three types (categories) of thrombocytosis?
Which of these is least common?
What is secondary (or reactive) thrombocytosis?
Name three more situations associated with secondary (or reactive) thrombocytosis
In platelet disorders, what is the difference between acquired and congenital defects?
What is vWI?
Von Willebrand factor, the most common canine
How do the three types of vWI differ?
- Type 1 - seen in dogs and cats, mild bleeding
- Type 2 - german shepherds and wire hair terriers, moderate bleeding
- Type 3 - scotties, shetland sheep dogs, chesapeake bay terriers, moderate bleeding tendency with 0 vWI
