Histology: Blood Study Objectives

Front 1

1201 Which common connective tissue components does blood exhibit?

Back 1

Cells & amorphous ground substance (plasma/serum).

Front 2

1202 Which common C.T. component is missing from blood?

Back 2

Fibers

Front 3

1203 What are the anuclear formed elements of blood?

Back 3

Red blood cells and platelets

Front 4

1204 Why doesn't an erythrocyte have a nucleus?

Back 4

it doesn’t need one as it has a single function, carrying O2/CO2 around the blood vascular system. Once the manufacture of hemoglobin finished, so did the cell’s need for a nucleus.

Front 5

1205 What is a reticulocyte and how prevalent are they in peripheral blood?

Back 5

An immature r.b.c. one that exhibits traces of the rER required for manufacture of hemoglobin. They should comprise no more than 1-2% of peripheral blood

Front 6

1206 How do platelets differ from erythrocytes?

Back 6

Platelets are biconvex dics, they contain a marginal ring of microtubules and cytoplasmic granules that contain serotonin. While erythrocytes are biconcave disks.

Front 7

1207 What do the granules of platelets contain?

Back 7

Serotonin, a potent vasoconstrictor (constricts blood vessels)

Front 8

1208 What is the function of platelets?

Back 8

Platelets aid in clotting: they secrete serotonin to constrict blood vessels to lessen blood loss at a cut site as well as secrete fibrin to aid in thrombus (clot) formation. They also adhere to any non-endothelial-lined surfaces

Front 9

1209 What are the two major subgroups of leukocytes?

Back 9

Granular and agranular leukocytes

Front 10

1210 What is meant by the term "specific granules"?

Back 10

Granules that stain specifically (ie. red, blue) with a specific stain. Generally, they contain hydrolytic enzymes

Front 11

1211 Know the characteristics of each type of granulocyte as well as their function.

Back 11

Neutrophils: multilobed (3-5 lobes) nucleus with smallish purple-staining specific granules; eosinophils: bilobed nucleus with large eosinophilic (pink) granules; basophils: bilobed nucleus with large basophilic (blue) granules. These cells exhibit the majority of their functions once the leave the peripheral blood and enter C.T.

Front 12

1212 What is a drumstick appendage (Barr body) ?

Back 12

The inactive X chromosome of females

Front 13

1213 Which blood cell will exhibit the Barr body?

Back 13

It is a small drumstick-shaped appendage sticking out of one of the lobes of the nucleus of a neutrophil.

Front 14

1214 Know the characteristics of each type of agranular leukocyte as well as their function.

Back 14

Lymphocytes: ovoid nucleus with thin rim of slightly basophilic cytoplasm, large and small subdivisions differ with regard to the amount of cytoplasm surrounding the nucleus
Monocytes: large pale U-shaped nucleus and surrounding thin rim of cytoplasm

Front 15

1215 Which blood cells leave the peripheral blood?
What do they become if they do?
What is the function of each once they enter connective tissue?

Back 15

Basically, all Leucocytes.
Cell - new form - function:
neurophils - polymorphs - seek out and ingest bacteria;
eosinophils - eosinophils - ingest antigen/antibody complexes/larval stages of pararsites;
basophils - mast cells - secrete heparin/histamine;
lymphococytes - B cells become plasma cells - secrete humoral antibodies in response to antigens;
monocytes - monocytes - fuse to form osteocvlasts, become macrophages

Front 16

1216 The specific granules of which granulocyte are not lysosomes?

Back 16

Only the specific granules of the basophil are not specialized lysosomes - containing heparin and histamine

Front 17

1217 The specific granules of which granulocyte are recognizable from all other cells of
the body with TEM? How?

Back 17

The specific granules of eosinophils contain a charateristic crystalloid that distinguish this cell type from all others of the body under TEM

Front 18

1218 A high level of circulating eosinophils reflects what condition?

Back 18

Eosinophilia is indicative of a systemic allergic reaction

Front 19

1219 List any blood cells/formed elements which should never leave circulating blood.

Back 19

Red blood cells and platelets are formed elements that should never leave the peripheral blood under normal circumstances

Front 20

1220 List the blood cell types in order of their relative abundance in a sample o f
peripheral blood.

Back 20

Red blood cells, platelets, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils

Front 21

1221 What are the two subtypes of lymphocytes?

Back 21

Small and large lympohocytes, based on overall size of the cell

Front 22

1222 What are the subtypes of small lymphocytes?

Back 22

B (Bursa-derived) cells/lymphocytes and T (Thymus-derived) cells/lymphocytes

Front 23

1223 What is a null lymphocyte and what is its function ?

Back 23

Lymphocytes that do not exhibit surface marking antigens of either the B or T cell classifications. They represent about 5% of the lymphocyte population

Front 24

1224 How do T cells differ from B-cells functionally?

Back 24

T- cells have unique cell surface proteins and function as mediators of the cellular immune response. B-cells have intramembrane immunoglobulin molecules acting as antigen receptors. They mediate the humoral response

Front 25

1225 What can happen when a B lymphocyte encounters an antigen?

Back 25

The B-cell will divide several times and these cells will differentiate into plasma cells which secreted protein-based antibodies to the specific antigen

Front 26

1226 What can happen when a T lymphocyte encounters an antigen?

Back 26

T-cells will also divide but produce cells that differentiate into one of 3 subtypes: cytotoxic T cells (primary effectors in cell-mediated immunity that kill foreign cells); helper T cells (secrete lymphokinis that stimulate B cell participation); suppressor T cells (suppress activity of B cells as well as the immune response to self molecules)

Front 27

1227 A 23 year old male, who recently moved to the U.S.A. from Africa, comes to your clinic with massive bilateral lower extremities, nearing 5X normal. Physical
examination reveals massive edema in both lower extremities and the diagnosis of elephantiasis is made. The causative agent is Wuchereria bancrofti, a roundworm
transmitted by the female mosquito.
What peripheral blood cell type is responsible to combating this parasite? What specific protein in this cell's specific granules attacks the parasite?

Back 27

eosinophil; major basic protein

Front 28

1228 A 1 month old infant presents to your clinic for the 4th time since birth. The infant has a fever and appears in obvious distress. Blood work and chart review show recurrent infections with S. aureus, Aspergillus, and E. Coli.
What blood cell type is defective in this case?

Back 28

neutrophil