BLOOD Erythrocytes

--vascular fluid that transports nutrients, wastes products,

gases and hormones through the circulatory system
• Normal Blood Volume of Average Adults: 5 – 6 L
• HEMATOLOGY-STUDY OF BLOOD
• HEMATOLOGISTS - SPECIALISTS IN BLOOD
DISORDERS.

• RED BLOOD CELLS (ERYTHROCYTES)

– Production and maturation site: BONE
MARROW
– Reference Value:
• 4.5 – 6.0 million /uL of blood
• Men have higher values than
women
– Life span : 120 days
– Graveyard: Liver and spleen
• Destroyed by macrophages but the
iron is reused in new cells

BLOOD GROUP AND BLOOD TYPE

• The surface of RED Blood cells contain ANTIGENS.
• Four possible ABO antigens:
SERUM – A Antigen
❑ liquid portion of the clotted blood – B Antigen
❑ It consists of albumin and globulin – Both A and B Antigens
❑ It has no fibrinogen – Neither A nor B Antigen
Plasma
❑ liquid portion of the unclotted blood • The plasma contains ANTIBODIES.
❑ It consists of fibrinogen, albumin and globulin • Four possible ABO antibodies:
❑ Obtained by the use of anticoagulant – Antibody A
– Antibody B
FORMED ELEMENTS – Both Anti-A and Anti-B
– Neither Anti-A nor Anti-B
• RED BLOOD CELLS (ERYTHROCYTES)
– Anuclear; biconcave disks
– Size range : 6 – 8 microns (average of 7.2
microns)
– The red color of RBC is because of
Hemoglobin which is responsible for
transporting O2 and CO2
– Hemoglobin consists of two parts:
• Heme (that contains iron)
• Globin
 TRANSFUSION REACTION
• Occurs when a person receives a different group of
blood because a person’s natural antibody will
destroy the donor RBC’s that contain the antigen
specific for the antibodies.
• To avoid such reactions, patients must only receive
group-specific blood type

Rh Type

2. AGRANULOCYTES (NOT SO DISTINCT GRANULES)

a. LYMPHOCYTES- almost the SAME SIZE WITH RBC; round
nucleus almost covering the entire cell
b. MONOCYTES- KIDNEY/BEAN/ HORSE-SHOE NUCLEUS
LEUKOCYTES /LEUCOCYTES/ WHITE BLOOD CELLS (WBC’S) (largest WBC)
• Functions:
– Provide immunity thru:
• Production of antibodies
• Destroy pathogens through
phagocytosis
• Produced in the bone marrow
• Reference value: 4,500 – 11,000 per uL of blood

Differential White Blood Cell Count

• NEUTROPHIL
• LYMPHOCYTE
• MONOCYTE
• EOSINOPHILS
• BASOPHILS

General Types of WBC’s

1. GRANULOCYTES (DISTINCT GRANULES)

a.BASOPHILS - BLUISH-BLACK GRANULES; large granules that
obscure the cytoplasm
b. EOSINOPHILS- ORANGE-RED GRANULES (2-3 lobes)
c. NEUTROPHILS- LILAC GRANULES (3-5 lobes)
 COAGULATION/HEMOSTASIS
• NEUTRO- 40-60%
• LYMPHO- 20-40% Hemostasis is a complex mechanism that involves:
• MONO- 3-8% ▪ Blood vessels
• EOSINOPHIL- 1-3% ▪ Platelets
• BASOPHIL- 0-1% ▪ Coagulation / Clotting factors
▪ Hemostasis is the process of forming a blood clot to
• NEUTROPHIL- INCREASED IN BACTERIAL stop the leakage of blood whenever there is an
INFECTION/ACUTE DISEASES injury to the blood vessel.
• LYMPHOCYTES- INCREASED IN VIRAL INFECTIONS
• MONOCYTES- INCREASED IN CASES OF CHRONIC
INFECTIONS FOUR STAGES OF COAGULATION / HEMOSTASIS
• EOSINOPHIL- INCREASED IN CASES OF PARASITIC/
INFECTIONS/ ALLERGIES ▪ Stage 1 (primary hemostasis)
• BASOPHILS- INCREASED IN CASES OF ALLERGIES ▪ Blood vessels and platelets respond to
injury
▪ Blood vessels constrict to slow the flow of
Platelets blood to the injured area (vessel spasm)
▪ Appearance: ▪ Platelets become sticky; clump together
▪ anucleate cells, (platelet aggregation) and adhere to the
▪ measures 2-4 microns (2 – 4 um) in injured vessel wall (platelet adhesion) to
diameter form a temporary platelet plug to stop
▪ Small; irregularly-shaped bleeding.
▪ Cellular Origin:
▪ Cellular fragments of megakaryocytes ▪ Stage 2 (secondary hemostasis)
▪ 1 megakaryocyte = 2000-4000 platelets ▪ Activation of coagulation cascade that
initiate formation of fibrin strands to
strengthen the platelet plug by forming a
fibrin clot.

▪ Stage 3
▪ The last factor in the coagulation cascade
(Factor XIII) stabilizes the fibrin clot.
▪ This produces retraction (tightening of the
clot)

▪ Stage 4
▪ After the injury to the blood vessel has
healed; the process of fibrinolysis degrades
the fibrin clot into fibrin degradation
products (FDP’s).

DISORDERS OF THE BLOOD VESSELS

▪ Life span
▪ 9-12 days
▪ Reference value: 140,000 – 440,000 per uL of blood • ANEURYSM
▪ Main Function: • bulge formed by a weakness in the wall of a
▪ Prevents bleeding by forming temporary blood vessel; usually an artery that can
platelet plug burst and cause severe hemorrhage.
▪ Play a vital role in blood clotting process • ARTERIOSCLEROSIS
• Hardening of the artery walls contributing
to aneurysm or stroke
• ATHEROSCLEROSIS
• Form of arteriosclerosis characterized by
accumulation of lipids and other materials
in the walls of arteries causing the lumen of
 the vessel to narrow and stimulate clot
formation.
• EMBOLISM
• Moving clot that can obstruct a blood vessel
▪ PHLEBITIS
▪ Inflammation of the vein wall causing pain
and tenderness
▪ THROMBOSIS
▪ Obstruction of a blood vessel by a
stationary blood clot
▪ VARICOSE VEINS
▪ Swollen peripheral veins caused by damage
valves allowing backflow of the blood
causing edema (swelling) in the tissues
DISORDERS OF THE HEART
▪ ANGINA PECTORIS
▪ Sharp chest pain caused by decrease blood
flow to the heart usually because of an
obstruction in the coronary arteries.
▪ BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS
▪ Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart
caused by a bacterial infection
(Staphylococcus epidermidis)
DISORDERS OF THE BLOOD
▪ ANEMIA
▪ Decrease RBC count or hemoglobin in the
circulating blood
▪ LEUKEMIA
▪ Increased WBC in the bone marrow and
circulating blood
▪ LEUKOCYTOSIS
▪ Increased WBC or leukocytes in the
circulating blood as seen in infections.
▪ LEUKOCYTOPENIA/ LEUKOPENIA
▪ Decreased WBC or leukocytes in the blood
often caused by radiation therapy or
chemotherapy
▪ POLYCYTHEMIA VERA
▪ Increased RBC count causing blood to be
viscous
▪ THROMBOCYTOPENIA
▪ Decreased number of circulating platelets,
frequently seen in patients receiving
chemotherapy, with dengue hemorrhagic
fever; spontaneous bleeding can result
▪ THROMBOCYTOSIS
▪ Increased number of circulating platelets

▪ CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE

▪ Impairs the ability of the heart to pump
blood efficiently, causing fluid accumulation
in the lungs and tissues.

▪ MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION
▪ Death (necrosis) of the heart muscle caused
by lack of oxygen to the myocardium
because of an occluded artery.
▪ Commonly known as heart attack

▪ PERICARDITIS
▪ Inflammation of the pericardium of the
heart caused by bacteria, viruses, trauma or
malignancy

▪ RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE

▪ Autoimmune disorder affecting heart tissue
following a streptococcal infection