Blood 1

• What are the main components of the cardiovascular system?

  Blood, heart, and blood vessels
• What is the primary function of the heart in the cardiovascular system?

  To pump and circulate the blood
• What role do blood vessels play in the cardiovascular system?

  They carry blood through the body
• What are the functions of blood?

  Transports gases, nutrients, hormones, and wastes
• How does blood regulate the pH and ion composition of interstitial fluids?

  By maintaining homeostasis through buffering systems
• What is the role of plasma proteins in blood?

  They contribute to osmolarity and transport various substances
• What are the most abundant plasma proteins?

  Albumins
• What do globulins in blood do?

  They transport hormones and act as antibodies
• What percentage of blood volume does plasma make up?

  46-63%
• What is the composition of plasma?

  92% water, plasma proteins, and other solutes
• How does plasma differ from interstitial fluid?

  It has different concentrations of gases and dissolved proteins
• What is the pH range of blood?

  1. 7.35–7.45
• What is hemopoiesis?

  The process of producing formed elements in blood
• What are red blood cells also known as?

  Erythrocytes
• What is the primary function of red blood cells?

  To bind and transport oxygen and carbon dioxide
• What pigment gives whole blood its color?

  Hemoglobin
• What is the normal red blood cell count for adult males?

  1. 5–6.3 million per microliter
• What is packed cell volume (PCV)?

  The percentage of all formed elements in a sample of whole blood
• What is the normal hematocrit percentage?

  37-54%
• What is the function of fibrinogen?

  It functions in blood clotting
• What are the characteristics of red blood cells?

  Small, biconcave discs with a large surface area-to-volume ratio
• Why do red blood cells form stacks called rouleaux?


  To allow for smooth blood flow through narrow blood vessels
• What does it mean that red blood cells are anucleate?

  They lack nuclei and cannot divide or repair damage
• What is anemia?

  A condition resulting from low hematocrit or reduced hemoglobin content
• How long do red blood cells typically live?

  About 120 days
• What is erythropoiesis?

  The formation of red blood cells
• What is the role of erythropoietin (EPO)?

  It stimulates erythropoiesis when oxygen levels are low
• What are the four blood types?

  Type A, Type B, Type AB, and Type O
• What is the Rh blood group based on?

  The presence or absence of the Rh (or D) antigen
• What happens during a cross-reaction in blood transfusion?

  The plasma antibody reacts with its specific surface antigen, causing agglutination
• What is hemolytic disease of the newborn?

  A condition caused by Rh incompatibility between a sensitized mother and fetus
• What is the purpose of compatibility testing before blood transfusions?

  To reveal cross-reactions between donor's antigens and recipient's plasma antibodies
• Who are universal donors?

  Type O- individuals
• What is hemoglobinuria?

  Red or brown urine due to high hemoglobin content
• What is hematuria?

  Red blood cells in the urine due to kidney or blood vessel damage
• What are the stages of red blood cell maturation during erythropoiesis?

  1. Myeloid stem cell differentiates into proerythroblast
  2. Erythroblast stages (Days 2-3)
  3. Normoblast stage: cell loses nucleus and becomes reticulocyte (Day 4)
  4. Reticulocyte synthesizes hemoglobin (Days 5-6)
  5. Reticulocyte enters circulation as mature RBC (Day 7)
• What are the dietary requirements for erythropoiesis?

  • Amino acids
  • Iron
  • Vitamins (including folic acid)
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of blood types in transfusions?

  Strengths:

  • Type O- is a universal donor
  • Type AB+ is a universal recipient

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Incompatibility can cause life-threatening reactions
  • Type O- can only receive from Type O-
• What is the process of hemoglobin recycling?

  1. Heme unit converted to biliverdin
  2. Biliverdin converted to bilirubin
  3. Bilirubin excreted by liver in bile
  4. Converted by intestinal bacteria to urobilins and stercobilins
• What are the characteristics of red blood cells?

  • Biconcave discs
  • Anucleate
  • Flexible to pass through capillaries
  • Contain hemoglobin for gas transport