Introduction to Blood

Question 1

What is the distribution of blood in an average 70kg male?

Answer 1

1 litre in blood vessels
3 litres in venous circulation
1 litre in heart/arterial circulation

Question 2

Why can veins be called capacitance vessels?

Answer 2

As they carry the most blood.

Question 3

What 4 components make up blood?

Answer 3

Plasma, RBC, WBC and platelets.

Question 4

What 4 subdivisions of plasma proteins are there?

Answer 4

Albumin
Globulin
Fibrinogen
Other clotting factors

Question 5

Define albumin.

Answer 5

Transport proteins for molecules like steroids and lipids

Question 6

Define globulin.

Answer 6

Alpha and beta are transport proteins

Gamma are antibodies

Question 7

Define fibrinogen.

Answer 7

Helps with blood clotting.

Question 8

What is colloid oncotic pressure?

Answer 8

Plasma proteins making water move across the capillary wall as they cannot do so.

Question 9

What is the usual oncotic pressure?

Answer 9

25mmHg

Question 10

Interstitial fluid is approx ______ times greater than plasma volume.

Answer 10

3-4

Question 11

Capillary hydrostatic pressure favours movement ______ of the capillary whereas plasma protein concentration favours movement ______ capillary.

Answer 11

Out, into

Question 12

What is hypoproteinemia?

Answer 12

Abnormally low levels of circulating plasma protein.

Question 13

What is oedema?

Answer 13

Swelling of ankles and wrists as fluid accumulates in interstitial fluid.

Question 14

Where do all blood cells come from?

Answer 14

Pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells.

Question 15

What are the features of erythrocytes (RBC)?

Answer 15

Most abundant blood cell.
120 day lifespan.
Flexible, biconcave and non nucleated.
Densely packed with haemoglobin for gas transport.

Question 16

What is the name for RBC formation?

Answer 16

Erythropoiesis

Question 17

What are the features of leukocytes (WBC)?

Answer 17

Nucleated
Larger than RBC
Involved in defence against pathogens

Question 18

What are the features of neutrophils?

Answer 18

68% of WBC
Half life of 6 hours
Phagocytic
Can entrap bacteria in extracellular traps
Can phagocytose up to 20 times before death.

Question 19

What are the features of eosinophils?

Answer 19

1.5% of WBC but increase rapidly during an allergic response

Attach pathogens which are too big for neutrophils

Question 20

What are the features of basophils?

Answer 20

Release histamine and heparin

Trigger inflammation

Question 21

What are the features of monocytes?

Answer 21

Largest WBC

Lifespan of about 72 hours before moving to spleen, liver, lungs or lymph nodes

Question 22

What are the features of macrophages?

Answer 22

Mature monocytes
Stays in connective tissue for up to 3 months
Can phagocytose up to 100 bacteria before death

Question 23

What are the features of lymphocytes?

Answer 23

Key constitutes of the adaptive immune system

B cells and T cells

Question 24

All blood cells do ______ immune system and are unspecific.

Answer 24

Innate

Question 25

What is leukopoiesis?

Answer 25

WBC formation which is more complex than that of RBC and is controlled by a mixture of cytokines.

Question 26

Where are the 3 places cytokines can be released from?

Answer 26

Endothelial cells
Fibroblasts
Mature WBC

Question 27

What happens when there is an a. bacterial infection or b. viral infection?

Answer 27

Increase neutrophils

Increase lymphocytes

Question 28

What are the features of platelets?

Answer 28

Membrane bound cell fragments
Rarely nucleated
Life span of 10 days
Adhere to damaged vessel walls and exposed connective tissue

Question 29

What makes WBC appear yellowish?

Answer 29

Bilirubin

Question 30

Define viscosity.

Answer 30

How thick/sticky blood is compared to water.