Introduction to the structure and function of blood

Question 1

What is the structure of blood

Answer 1

Structure of blood:
-Plasma(fluid)
-Cells
-Red cells
-White cells
-Platelets

Question 2

What is the top, middle and bottom layer of blood after centrifuging?

Answer 2

-Top layer is plasma
-In between the top and bottom layer, there is a buffy coat which consists of white cells
-Bottom later is red cells

Question 3

What are red blood cells also referred to as?

Answer 3

-Also referred to as erythrocytes

Question 4

What shaped discs are red blood cells

Answer 4

Biconcave discs

Question 5

Is there genetic information in red blood cells

Answer 5

-Has no nucleus, no DNA, RNA or mitochondria

Question 6

Average lifespan of Red blood cell

Answer 6

-Average life span is around 120 days

Question 7

Diameter of RBC

Answer 7

Diameter is 8μm

Question 8

Thickness of RBC

Answer 8

Thickness is 2μm

Question 9

What are white blood cells also referred to as?

Answer 9

Also referred to as leukocytes

Question 10

Colour of WBC?

Answer 10

They’re colourless

Question 11

What are the 2 most common types of white blood cells

Answer 11

-The two most common types are:
-Neutrophils
-Lymphocytes

Question 12

What does it mean by neutrophils being polymorphnuclear?

Answer 12

-Meaning they are irregular and multi-lobed nucleus

Question 13

Are neutrophils granulocytes and what are granulocytes?

Answer 13

yes and this means they contain prominent cytoplasmic granules

Question 14

What are examples of other granulocytes?

Answer 14

Eosinophils and Basophil

Question 15

What stain is used for the granules in eosinophils and what colour do they stain?

Answer 15

-The granules stain red with eosin(1-4% of WBC)

Question 16

What stain is used for the granules in Basophil and what colour do they stain?

Answer 16

-The granules stain blue/purple with basic dyes(<0.5% of wbc)

Question 17

Do Mononuclear cells have granules?

Answer 17

Lack granules

Question 18

Describe nuclei of mononuclear cells?

Answer 18

Large, regular nuclei

Question 19

What are the 2 types of mononuclear cells

Answer 19

-2 types:
-Monocytes
-Lymphocytes

Question 20

What are platelets

Answer 20

Cytoplasmic fragments

Question 21

Do platelets have a nucleus?

Answer 21

No nucleus

Question 22

What are platelets bound by?

Answer 22

Membrane bound

Question 23

Do platelets contain granules?

Answer 23

Contains granules

Question 24

Where do blood cells come from?

Answer 24

Mature blood cells are produced from stem cells in the bone marrow

Question 25

What is plasma and what does it contain?

Answer 25

-Fluid containing: -Water -Salts -Proteins -Organic molecules -Metabolites -Carbohydrates -Lipids

Question 26

What is serum?

Answer 26

Serum is the fluid left after blood clotting

Question 27

What percentage of protein is normal in plasma?

Answer 27

Normal: 7-9% of plasma is protein

Question 28

What protein is >90% of the protein plasma?

Answer 28

But >90% is a single protein: albumin

Question 29

What is the function of blood

Answer 29

-Transport -Defence -Homeostasis

Question 30

What does blood carry and remove?

Answer 30

-Carry oxygen/nutrients to tissue -Remove CO2/ other waste products from tissues

Question 31

Transport of oxygen and CO2 and what enzymes aid it

Answer 31

-For example erythrocytes aka RBC transport oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues as well as carrying CO2 in the form of bicarbonate -The red cell enzyme carbonic anhydrase helps CO2 to: -Dissolve in plasma in the tissues -Come out of solution in the lungs

Question 32

What carries the poorly soluble substances and what are these substances?

Answer 32

-Plasma proteins carry substances which are poorly soluble in water -lipids -lipid soluble hormones and vitamins

Question 33

What carries metal ions in the blood and what are examples?

Answer 33

-Plasma proteins also carry metal ions like -Ca2+ -Fe2+ -Cu2+

Question 34

What is haemoglobin and its structure?

Answer 34

-Protein tetramer made up of 4 polypeptide chains: -2 alpha globin chains -2 beta globin chains

Question 35

What does each globin chain carry in haemoglobin?

Answer 35

-Each globin chain carries a haem molecule

Question 36

What atom does haem hold?

Answer 36

-The haem holds a ferrous(Fe^2+) iron atom

Question 37

How does oxygen bind to haemoglobin?

Answer 37

Oxygen binds reversibly to the iron atom by a coordination bond

Question 38

What does a pulse oximetry measure and determine?

Answer 38

-Measures the colour of the haemoglobin -Determines if the patient is hypoxic

Question 39

What do neutrophils do and what are they main mediators of?

Answer 39

-Phagocytose and kill bacteria and fungi -Main mediators of innate immunity

Question 40

What do lymphocytes mediate, what do they produce and what do they do?

Answer 40

-Main mediators of adaptive immunity -Produces antibodies -Kill virus infected cells

Question 41

What do eosinophils kill and what are they involved in?

Answer 41

-Kill parasites -Involved in allergic response

Question 42

What are basophils and what are they involved in?

Answer 42

-Kill parasites -Involved in allergic response -Involved in inflammation

Question 43

What do monocytes(macrophages) do?

Answer 43

Phagocytosis of dead cells and pathogens

Question 44

What are immunoglobulins made by and what do they act as?

Answer 44

-Made by B-lymphocytes -Act as antibodies against pathogens

Question 45

What does complement proteins kill and what cells do they cooperate with?

Answer 45

-Kill bacteria and other pathogens -Cooperate with Ig and WBC

Question 46

What is the major role of platelets and how do they do that?

Answer 46

-Major role: Primary haemostasis -Recognise damage at blood vessel wall -Form a platelet plug -Prevent/stop bleeding -Platelet plug stop bleeding-but insecure and temporary

Question 47

What are the basic steps in haemostasis within the plasma?

Answer 47

-Fibrinogen is a major plasma protein -Converted to Fibrin, forms blood clot -Clotting factors control process -Fibrin clot reinforces primary platelet plug

Question 48

What is total blood volume for a 70kg male and what is that in ml per kg?

Answer 48

Total blood volume is around 5 litres for a 70kg male -Therefore it is about 70ml per kilogram

Question 49

What is haematocrit also known as?

Answer 49

-Also known as packed cell volume = volume of vells/total volume

Question 50

What does having too little or too many red cell in a given volume in haematocrit indicate?

Answer 50

-Having too many or too little red cells in a given volume may indicate disease

Question 51

What does a full blood test include?

Answer 51

-Haemoglobin concentration (Hb in g/l) / Mean (red) cell haemoglobin content(MCHC) -Mean red cell volume(MCV) -Haematocrit (RBC vol/total vol) -White blood cell count -Platelet count

Question 52

What is Haemoglobin concentration and what is it used to diagnose?

Answer 52

-overall concentration of haemoglobin in the blood -Used to diagnose anaemia

Question 53

What is mean red cell haemoglobin content?

Answer 53

-How much Hb in each red cell

Question 54

What is the mean corpuscular volume?

Answer 54

-Size of the RBCs

Question 55

What does the white blood cell count in a full blood count test include and why are these important?

Answer 55

-Total white blood cell count -Neutrophil count -Lymphocyte count Important to diagnose infection

Question 56

What do liver function tests check for?

Answer 56

-Check albumin concentration -Liver enzymes(released from damaged liver cells) -Clotting factors

Question 57

What do urea and electrolytes test do?(U&E)

Answer 57

-Test kidney function -And metabolic abnormalities

Question 58

What do blood glucose tests do?

Answer 58

-Test for diabetes

Question 59

What does a lipid profile consist of?

Answer 59

-Triglycerides -Cholesterol -LDL and HD