Intro to Haematology

Question 1

What are the components of blood?

Answer 1

Plasma
Buffy Coat
Red blood cells

Question 2

What are the contents of blood plasma?

Answer 2

Coagulation factor
Albumin
Antibodies

Question 3

What are the contents of Buffy coat?

Answer 3

Platelets

White cells

Question 4

What substances are transported in plasma?

Answer 4

Nutrients
Wastes
Messages

Question 5

What are the functions of blood?

Answer 5

Transport
Maintaining vascular integrity
Protect from pathogens

Question 6

How is vascular integrity maintained by the blood?

Answer 6

Prevent leaks - platelets, clotting factors

Prevent blockages - anticoagulants and fibrinolytics

Question 7

What cells are involved in phagocytosis?

Answer 7

Granulocytes/monocytes

Question 8

What is the role of lymphocytes?

Answer 8

Antigen recognition

Antibody formation

Question 9

What are myeloid cells?

Answer 9

RBC
Platelets
Neutrophils, monocytes, basophils, eosinophils

Question 10

What mediates stem cell specialisation?

Answer 10

Hormones

Growth factors

Question 11

What is the erythroid differentiation pathway?

Answer 11

Erythroblast
Reticulocyte
Erythrocyte

Question 12

What is the hormone involved in RBC formation?

Answer 12

Erythropoietin

in response to hypoxia

Question 13

What is a reticulocyte count?

Answer 13

Measure of RBC production

Question 14

What are the causes of anaemia?

Answer 14

Decreased production:
 - Deficient in iron, folate, B12
 - Thalassaemias
Increased loss:
Bleeding, haemolysis

Question 15

What are Schistocytes?

Answer 15

Fragmented RBC seen in Haemolytic uraemic syndrome

Question 16

When are microcytic RBC seen?

Answer 16

Iron deficiency

Question 17

When are macrocytic RBC seen?

Answer 17

Megaloblastic - Folate, B12 deficiency

Non-megaloblastic - Marrow infiltration, drugs

Question 18

Platelet production is regulated by what?

Answer 18

Thrombopoeitin (Liver)

platelet mass feedback

Question 19

What is the lifespan of a platelet?

Answer 19

7 days

Question 20

What are the causes of Thrombocytopenia?

Answer 20

Marrow failure

Immune distruction

Question 21

What is the function of neutrophils?

Answer 21

Ingest pathogens (Bact/fungi ++)
Regulated by macrophages, IL-17

Question 22

What is the lifespan of a neutrophil?

Answer 22

1-2 days

Question 23

What is the sequence of Neutrophil differentiation?

Answer 23

Blast 
Promyelocyte
Myelocyte
Metamyelocyte
Neutrophil

Question 24

What are the causes of Neutrophilia?

Answer 24

Production stimulated by G-CSF
Infection
Inflammation

Question 25

What are the causes of Neutropenia?

Answer 25

``` Decreased production (Drugs, marrow failure) Increased consumption (Sepsis, autoimmune) ```

Question 26

What is the function of monocytes?

Answer 26

``` Ingest pathogens (Bacteria/fungi++) Migrate into tissues and become macrophages ```

Question 27

What is the role of Eosinophils?

Answer 27

Parasites and allergies

Question 28

What are the causes of Lymphocytosis?

Answer 28

Infectious mononucleosis | Pertussis

Question 29

What are the causes of Lymphopenia?

Answer 29

Post-viral state | Lymphoma

Question 30

What are the subtypes of Lymphocytes and what are their functions?

Answer 30

B cells - make antibodies T cells - helper, cytotoxic, regulatory NK cells - Perforin & Granzyme

Question 31

Where are lymphocytes made?

Answer 31

B cells mature in bone marrow | T cells in thymus

Question 32

What is positive and negative selection?

Answer 32

Positive selection - gene rearragement results in functional receptor cell Negative selection - cell recognises 'self' antigens and is triggered to die B cells Surviving this pass to periphery

Question 33

What are the 2 classes of Human Leucocyte antigen?

Answer 33

Class I: Display internal antigens on all nucleated cells | Class II: display antigens eaten by antigen presenting cells

Question 34

What does HLA differentiate?

Answer 34

Self vs. non self | Uninfected vs. Infected

Question 35

What are the haematological diagnostic tools?

Answer 35

``` FBC Clotting times (platelet and leucocyte function) Chemical assays (Iron, B12, Folate) Marrow aspirate Lymph node biopsy ```

Question 36

What are the Haematology replacement therapies?

Answer 36

Blood Haematinics Coagulation factors Plasma exchange

Question 37

What substances stimulate neutrophil production?

Answer 37

Interleukins | Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)

Question 38

What is the 'first' B cell?

Answer 38

Progenitor B cell

Question 39

What is the sequence of B-cell maturation in bone marrow?

Answer 39

Progenitor B cell --> Pre B cell --> Immature B cell --> (out) --> Lymph cells

Question 40

Most lymphomas arise from what?

Answer 40

Somatic hypermutation (specialising of B cells)

Question 41

What blood condition is associated with rheumatoid arthritis?

Answer 41

Anaemia (Fe deficiency) | Neutrophilia

Question 42

Folate deficiency is associated with what medication?

Answer 42

Methotrexate

Question 43

What is normal haemoglobin?

Answer 43

Male: 135-170 g/L Female: 120-160 g/L

Question 44

What is normal platelet count?

Answer 44

150-400

Question 45

What is normal WBC count?

Answer 45

4-10