Chapter 10 - Blood Immunity

• red blood cell count

  RBC

  number of red blood cells per microliter of blood
• white blood cell count

  WBC

  number of white blood cells per microliter of blood
• differential count

  Diff

  relative percentage of the different types of leukocytes
• hematocrit

  Ht, Hct, crit

  relative percentage of packed red cells in a given volume of blood
• packed cell volume

  PCV

  hematocrit
• hemoglobin

  Hb, Hgb

  amount of hemoglobin in g/dL (100 mL) of blood
• mean corpuscular volume

  MCV

  volume of an average red cell
• mean corpuscular hemoglobin

  average weight of hemoglobin in red cells
• mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration

  average concentration of hemoglobin in red blood cells
• erythrocyte sedimentation rate

  ESR

  rate of erythrocyte settling per unit of time; used to detect infection or inflammation
• complete blood count

  CBC

  series of tests including cell counts, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and cell volume measurements
• activated partial thromboplastin time

  Measures time required for clot formation; used to evaluate clotting factors and monitor heparin therapy
• bleeding time

  Measures capacity of platelets to stop bleeding after a standard skin incision
• partial thromboplastin time

  Evaluates clotting factors; similar to APTT, but less sensitive
• prothrombin time

  PT, pro time

  Indirectly measures prothrombin; used to monitor anticoagulant therapy; also called Quick test
• thrombin time

  Measures how quickly a clot forms
• acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

   

  Immune system failure caused by infection with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus); the virus infects certain T cells and thus interferes with immunity
• allergen

   

  A substance that causes an allergic response
• allergy

   

  Hypersensitivity
• anaphylactic reaction

   

  An exaggerated allergic reaction to a foreign substance; it may lead to death caused by circulatory collapse and respiratory distress if untreated; also called anaphylaxis (from Greek phylaxis, meaning “protection”)
• anemia

   

  A deficiency in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood; may result from blood loss, malnutrition, a hereditary defect, environmental factors, and other causes
• angioedema

   

  A localized edema with large hives (wheals) similar to urticaria but involving deeper layers of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
• aplastic anemia

   

  Anemia caused by bone marrow failure resulting in deficient blood cell production, especially of red cells; pancytopenia
• autoimmune disease

   

  A condition in which the immune system produces antibodies against an individual’s own tissues (prefix auto means “self”)
• Cooley anemia

  A form of thalassemia (hereditary anemia) that affects production of the β (beta) hemoglobin chain; thalassemia major
• delayed hypersensitivity reaction

  An allergic reaction involving T cells that takes at least 12 hours to develop; examples are various types of contact dermatitis, such as poison ivy or poison oak; the tuberculin reaction (test for TB); and rejections of transplanted tissue
• disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)

  Widespread clot formation in the microscopic vessels; may be followed by bleeding caused by depletion of clotting factors
• ecchymosis

   

  A collection of blood under the skin caused by leakage from small vessels (root chym means “juice”)
• hemolysis

   

  The rupture of red blood cells and the release of hemoglobin (adjective: hemolytic)
• hemophilia

   

  A hereditary blood disease caused by lack of a clotting factor resulting in abnormal bleeding
• hemorrhagic anemia

   

  Anemia that results from blood loss, as from an injury or internal bleeding
• human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

  The virus that causes AIDS
• Hodgkin lymphoma

  A neoplastic disease of B cells that involves the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and other tissues; characterized by the presence of giant Reed–Sternberg cells (see FIG. 11-14)
• hypersensitivity

   

  An immunologic reaction to a substance that is harmless to most people; allergy
• intrinsic factor

   

  A substance produced in the stomach that aids in the intestinal absorption of vitamin B12, necessary for the manufacture of red blood cells; lack of intrinsic factor causes pernicious anemia
• Kaposi sarcoma

   

  Cancerous lesion of the skin and other tissues, seen most often in patients with AIDS
• leukemia

   

  Malignant overgrowth of immature white blood cells; may be chronic or acute; may affect bone marrow (myelogenous leukemia) or lymphoid tissue (lymphocytic leukemia)
• lymphadenopathy

   

  Any disease of the lymph nodes
• multiple myeloma

   

  A tumor of the blood-forming tissue in bone marrow
• non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)

  A widespread malignant disease of lymph nodes that involves lymphocytes; it differs from Hodgkin disease in that giant Reed–Sternberg cells are absent