White Blood Cells

Question 1

What cells are granulocytes?

Answer 1

Basophils, Neutrophils, Eosinophils

They have granules in them

Question 2

What gives rise to granulocytes

Answer 2

Multipotent haematopoietic stem cells give rise to myeloblasts
Myeloblasts can mature into any granulocyte as well as monocytes and macrophages

Question 3

What is production of granulocytes controlled by?

Answer 3

Growth factors:
CSF= Colony stimulating factor
G-CSF= granulocyte colony stimulating factor
M-CSF= macrophage colony stimulating factor
GM-CSF= granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor

Question 4

What is the role of neutrophils and how long do they survive for?

Answer 4

Survive for 7-10 hours in circulation before going to tissues
Defend against infection by phagocytosis and killing microorganisms

Question 5

How do neutrophils get to the site of inflammation?

Answer 5

Move to site of inflammation by chemotaxis- inflammatory mediators are released.
These have a gradient: neutrophils move to an area of high concentration of mediators
Neutrophils attach to endothelium of blood vessel and migrate into tissue where inflammation is

Question 6

What are neutrophils exposed to?

Answer 6

Neutrophils are exposed to cytokines (inflammatory mediators) in a process called cytokine priming so they can start to phagocytose organisms

Question 7

What do neutrophils look like?

Answer 7

2-5 uneven lobed of nucleus which are connected

Question 8

How long do eosinophils spend in circulation in comparison to neutrophils?

Answer 8

less time than neutrophils

Question 9

What is the role of eosinophils?

Answer 9

Defend against parasitic infection

Question 10

What does an eosinophil look like?

Answer 10

2-3 connected equal size lobes

Cytoplasmic granules in bright pink

Question 11

What is the role of basophils?

Answer 11

Role in allergic response and other immune/inflammatory response

Question 12

What do basophil granules contain?

Answer 12

Histamine, Heparin and proteolytic enzymes

Question 13

What gives rise to monocytes?

Answer 13

Myeloid stem cells give rise to monocyte precursors which give rise to monocytes
Monocytes are precursors of macrophages

Question 14

How long do monocytes spend in circulation?

Answer 14

Several days

Question 15

What do monocytes develop into?

Answer 15

Develop into macrophages and other specialised cells when they migrate into tissues

Question 16

What is the function of monocytes?

Answer 16

Have phagocytic and scavenging function
Store and release iron
Present antigens to lymphoid cells i.e. B and T cells

Question 17

What is leucopenia?

Answer 17

A reduction in white cells

Question 18

What is neutropenia?

Answer 18

Too few neutrophils

Question 19

What can cause neutropenia?

Answer 19

Can occur after chemotherapy and radiography
Can be a result of autoimmune disorders, severe bacterial infections, certain viral infections and some drugs e.g. anticonvulsants and antipsychotic drugs and some antimalarials

Question 20

In what ethnicities is benign ethnic neutropenia normal in?

Answer 20

African or Afro-Caribbean

Question 21

What are the consequences of a low neutrophil count?

Answer 21

increased risk of infection- needs urgent treatment with IV antibiotics

Question 22

What is lymphopenia?

Answer 22

Too few lymphocytes

Question 23

What are causes of lymphopenia?

Answer 23

HIV, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, steroids

Can also occur temporarily in severe infection

Question 24

What gives rise to lymphocytes?

Answer 24

Lymphoid stem cells gives rise to T, B and NK cells

Question 25

Where do lymphocytes circulate?

Answer 25

Circulate between lymph nodes, tissue and blood

Question 26

How long do lymphocytes live for?

Answer 26

Lifespan varies

Question 27

What do B lymphocytes mature into?

Answer 27

Plasma cells

Question 28

What gives rise to B cells

Answer 28

Progenitor B cells give rise to pre B cells which give rise to mature B cells

Question 29

What does maturation of B cells require?

Answer 29

Requires exposure to antigens in lymph nodes and lymph tissue- leads to production of specific Igs and antibodies

Question 30

What is the role of T cells?

Answer 30

Involved in cell mediated immunity

Question 31

What happens when T cells mature?

Answer 31

T cell develops CD4 and CD8 cell surface markers

Question 32

What are CD4+ cells?

Answer 32

They're T helper cells. They produce cytokines and activate monocytic macrophage system and promote synthesis of antibodies

Question 33

What are CD8+ cells?

Answer 33

There cytotoxic T cells. They destroy virus infected cells through binding of T cell receptor

Question 34

What is the role of a natural killer cell?

Answer 34

Can kill tumour cells and virus infected cells

Question 35

What is leukocytosis?

Answer 35

Too many white blood cells: includes neutrophilia, lymphocytosis, monocytosis, eosinophilia and basophilia

Question 36

What is neutrophilia?

Answer 36

Too many neutrophils

Question 37

What are causes of neutrophilia?

Answer 37

Infection, inflammation, tissue damage, myeloproliferative neoplasms (cancer of too many WBCs) MITI

Question 38

Where may neutrophilia be seen commonly?

Answer 38

In pregnant women after administration of corticosteroids

Question 39

How can sudden neutrophilia be caused?

Answer 39

Marginal neutrophils attached to endothelium can go back into blood vessel. This may be accompanied with toxic changes and left shift

Question 40

What is left shift?

Answer 40

increase in non-segmented neutrophils- more immature neutrophils in blood

Question 41

What is toxic granulation?

Answer 41

Heavy granulation of neutrophils

Question 42

What is eosinophilia?

Answer 42

Too many eosinophils

Question 43

When does eosinophilia occur?

Answer 43

In parasitic infections and in allergy

Question 44

In what conditions can eosinophilia occur?

Answer 44

Can occur is leukaemia, asthma and in response to drugs

Question 45

What is basophilia?

Answer 45

Too many basophils

Question 46

When might basophilia occur?

Answer 46

It is rare but may occur in leukaemia

Question 47

What is monocytosis?

Answer 47

Too many monocytes

Question 48

What causes monocytosis?

Answer 48

Infection, chronic inflammation, severe leukaemia

Question 49

What is lymphocytosis?

Answer 49

Too many lymphocytes

Question 50

Why does lymphocytosis occur?

Answer 50

May be a temporary response to viral infections- results in atypical lymphocytes If chronic it can cause leukaemia CML Mononucleosis (glandular fever) can cause it Large irregular WBCs on blood film

Question 51

Whats a common cause of lymphocytosis in kids?

Answer 51

Whooping cough (bordella petussis)

Question 52

What do basophils look like?

Answer 52

Have blue cytoplasmic granules | Have a lobed nucleus

Question 53

What does a monocyte look like?

Answer 53

Has an indented nucleus and pale granules in cytoplasm

Question 54

What does a lymphocyte look like?

Answer 54

Small cells with a spherical nucleus and little cytoplasm