white blood cells Flashcards

1
Q
  • What is the precursor to macrophages?
  • Give 3 examples of granulocytes
  • What do the granules in granulocytes contain?
A

Monocytes

Basophil, Neutrophil and Eosinophil

Agents for killing phagocytic material
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q
  • Where does cell division of granulocytes occur?
  • What is the main function of neutrophils?
  • How long do neutrophils survive in circulation before they migrate to tissues?
A

In myeloblasts, promyelocytes and myelocytes

Defence against infection by phagocytosing and then killing organisms
Chemotaxis

7-10 hours
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q
  • What is the main function of neutrophils?
  • How long do neutrophils survive in circulation before they migrate to tissues?
  • Explain how neutrophils migrate to areas of inflammation
A

Defence against infection by phagocytosing and then killing organisms
Chemotaxis

7-10 hours

Chemotaxis - Neutrophils become marginated in the vessel lumen, adhere to the endothelium and migrate into tissues
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q
  • What is the precursor to eosinophils?

- What is the main function of eosinophils?

A

Myeloblast

Defence against parasitic infection
regulate hypersensitivity reactions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q
  • What do the granules in basophils contain?

- What are the functions of basophils?

A

Stores of histamine, heparin and proteolytic enzymes

Variety of immune and inflammatory responses- release heparin and proteases
Mediation of immediate-type hypersensitivity- IgE coated basophils release histamine and leukotrienes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q
  • How long do monocytes spend in circulation?

- What are the functions of the monocytes?

A

Several days

Phagocytosis and antigen presentation to lymphoid cells

Develop into macrophages (histiocytes)

Macrophages store and release iron
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q
  • What do lymphoid stem cells give rise to?
  • Where do B lymphocytes rise from?
  • What cells can NK cells kill?
A

T cells, B cells and natural killer (NK) cells

Liver and bone marrow of the foetus

Tumorous cells and virus-infected cells
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q
  • What are macrophages also known as?
  • what are primary blood disorders?
  • what are secondary changes?
A

Histiocytes

The leukocyte count/ morphology is abnormal due to acquired somatic DNA damage affecting a haematopoetic precursor cell

when a healthy bone responds to external stimulus such as infection, inflammation or infarction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q
  • What is left shift?

- Numbers of which granulocyte does leukocytosis and leukopenia have the biggest impact on ?

A

An increase in non-segmented neutrophils or that there are neutrophil precursors (myelocytes) in the blood- a sign of neutrophilia

Changes in neutrophil count as this is usually the most abundant leukocyte in circulation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q
  • What can neutrophilia be caused by?
A

Neoplasms - myeloproliferative disorders - Tumours produce granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) which skews the neutrophil retention/release balance in bone marrow

Infection -bacterial and especially pyogenic

Corticosteroids

Exercise - as a result of demargination of cells from the endothelial tissue or as part of phagocytic and inflammatory response

Pregnancy - physiologic stress due to pregnant state

Tissue damage
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q
  • What is Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML)?

- What causes CML?

A

Increase in all granulocytes - neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils and their precursors in bone marrow and blood
myeloid precursor also produces RBCs- so increased RBC precursors too

Translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22 (BCR from 22 fuses with ABL1 on 9 to form a copy of BCR-ABL1 on both genes)

occurring in a single hemopoietic stem cell

fusion gene contributes to Tyrosine Kinase activity

drives autonomous cell proliferation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q
  • What are key indicators that a patient has CML?

- How can the CML be potentially cured?

A

Enlarged spleen- pre mature RBCs sent to spleen for destruction
increase in all granulocytes and their precursors

BCR-ABL 1 protein signals between the cells surface and the nucleus 

Can be inhibited by specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors as this prevents signal for cell division of the haemopoietic stem cell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q
  • What can cause neutropenia?
A

Physiological basis - benign ethnic neutropenia

Radiotherapy/Chemotherapy

Autoimmune disorders

Infections

Drugs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q
  • What is neutrophil hypersegmentation?

- What causes neutrophil hypersegementation?

A

When there are more than 5 segments in the average of neutrophil lobes or segments (right shift)

Lack of Vitamin B12 and folate
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q
  • What causes eosinophilia?
  • What is a cause of basophilia?
  • What are some of the causes of monocytosis?
A

Allergy or parasitic infection e.g - asthma, eczema
Leukaemia

Leukaemia

Infection or chronic inflammation
Leukaemia
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q
  • How can you tell there is lymphocytosis in a blood film in infectious mononucleosis
A

May find atypical lymphocytes e.g -Epstein Barr virus infection (infectious mononucleosis)

lymphocytes have become basophiliated with granules

RBC Cell membrane is loose and looks like it is 'hugging' surroundings, scalloped margins- both characteristics of infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever)
17
Q
  • What are the causes of a transient and then a persistent leukocytosis ?
A

Transient is in association with infection
eg Viral infection : lymphocytosis
parasitic: eosinophilia
bacterial: neutrophilia and monocytosis

Persistent is associated with leukaemia

  • lymphoproliferative disorder CLL (lymphocytosis)
  • CML (neutrophilia, basophilia, eosinophilia)
18
Q
  • What is Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL)?

- what is it caused by

A

Lymphoproliferative disorder

Leads to squashed lymphocytes

Most common cause of persistent lymphocytosis in elderly

Characterising profile of cell surface markers expressed by lymphocytes helps determine the cause of the lymphocytosis
19
Q
  • What is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL)?
A

Increase in very immature cells (lymphoblast) with a failure of these to develop into mature lymphocytes

Bone marrow infiltrated by lymphoblast which then replace bone marrow cell (hemopoietic cells), resulting in impaired haemopoiesis  and lymphoblast circulate in the peripheral blood

Acute conditions are severe and sudden in onset
20
Q
  • What are the three possible treatments for ALL?
A

Transfusion - RBCs, Platelets and antibiotics

Systemic chemotherapy

Intrathecal chemotherapy
21
Q

Haematological features of ALL

what kind of mutations does acute leukaemia contain

A

thrombocytopenia (low platelet count)
Anaemia (normocytic, normochromic)
Leukocytosis
Lymphoblast increase

mutations in genes encoding transcription factors
results in an inability for cells to mature
so an accumulation of primitive cells called blast cells

22
Q
  • Name four causes of Lymphopenia
A

HIV Infection

Chemotherapy

Radiotherapy

Corticosteroids