Assignment:
Introduction to Blood
1. Name the components of the cardiovascular system.
2. Discuss the functions of blood.
3. Explain why blood is a connective tissue. Define and give the basic functions of the following: plasma, formed elements, erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets. Identify the average percentage of whole blood occupied by: formed elements, plasma, erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets. Identify the typical range of erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets in a μL of blood.
Leukocytes
4. Explain why leukocytes are the only "true cells" in the blood.
5. Identify the basic function of leukocytes.
6. Define granulocytes and agranulocytes. Identify the three major types of granulocytes and the two major types of agranulocytes.
7. Describe the structural appearance and general functions of each type of leukocyte. Give the approximate percentage range of each type of leukocyte. Define emigration/diapedesis and explain why it is crucial to leukocyte function.
8. Distinguish between leukopenia and leukocytosis.
9. What is leukemia?
Plasma and Erythrocytes
10. Define intracellular fluid, extracellular fluid, interstitial fluid, and plasma. Describe the flow of oxygen, nutrients, and waste between these fluid compartments.
11. Describe the physical characteristics of blood including: color, viscosity, pH, volume, and temperature.
12. Identify the solvent of plasma. Name the six important kinds of plas of each. Which of these solutes is the most common?
13. Identify the three main types of plasma proteins and describe their functions.
14. Define hemopoiesis/hematopoiesis. Where does it occur in adults? How can many different blood cells be formed from a single type of stem cell?
15. Describe the shape and the interior of a red blood cell, in terms of its nuclear and organelle content. Explain the functional advantages of these characteristics.
16. Understand how a blood sample is taken and prepared for hematocrit determination. Know the hematocrit ranges for men and women.
17. How would changes in body water and blood cell overproduction or underproduction relate to changes in the percentage of cells and liquid in the blood? For example, in dehydration, how would hematocrit change? If too many RBCs were produced (polycythemia), how would the caplasma change?
18. Identify the primary component of an erythrocyte. Describe its structure and function. How many hemoglobin molecules do erythrocytes contain? Identify the typical range of hemoglobin (in g/100 ml blood) for men and women. How many oxygen molecules can each hemoglobin molecule carry?
19. What is the average life span of a RBC? Define erythropoiesis. What are the nutritional requirements for erythropoiesis?
20. Identify EPO' s site of release, trigger for release, site of action, and function.
21. Identify the major organs where erythrocyte recycling takes place. Identify the cell primarily involved in the recycling. Discuss what happens to the globin, heme, and iron.
22. Discuss the dangers of polycythemia. What term describes the condition that can result from a deficiency of RBCs or Hb? Name the types that we discussed in class and the general cause of each.
Hemostasis
23. Describe the structural appearance and functions of a platelet.
24. Define hemostasis. List the three main phases of hemostasis.
25. Describe the process of vascular spasm. Include its trigger and function in your discussion.
26. Describe the formation and function of a platelet plug. Explain why platelet plug formation is an example of positive feedback.
27. Describe the purpose of coagulation and what is needed for it to occur.
28. Differentiate between procoagulants and anticoagulants. Explain which group is normally dominan and which group is dominant following blood vessel rupture.
29. Define hemophilia and thrombocytopenia including the cause and treatment.
30. Define thrombus and embolus and explain their causes and dangers. Identify the mechanisms that limit abnormal clot formation.
Practical
31. Identify each of the following formed elements on a blood smear slide:
o erythrocytes
o platelets
o neutrophils
o lymphocytes
o monocytes
o eosinophils
o basophils
32. What is a differential white blood cell count and why is it useful? Name one condition that could cause the count of each type of leukocyte to go up.
33. Understand how to calculate a hematocrit given a centrifuged blood sample.
34. Give the current uses of the hemocytometer. Describe the two most common methods by which cell counts for blood samples are made.
35. Understand what determines a person's blood type and under what circumstances a transfusion reaction will occur and why. Include antigens and antibodies in your explanation. See Blood Groups & Blood Type Compatibility.
36. Explain the issue a Rh- mother with a Rh+ fetus poses and the preventative treatment. See Blood Groups & Blood Type Compatibility slides.
37. Determine the ABO and Rh blood type of a blood sample based on agglutination results. Explain how this procedure works. See Blood Groups & Blood Type Compatibility slides.