Haematology I

Chapter 1: Introduction
Dr Zaynab Al-Eisawi
Introduction

ØStudy of blood & its components

ØWindow to rest of body
What is haematology?
• Haematology is the study of blood which is
composed of plasma (~55%), and the formed
elements which are:
– The erythrocytes (RBCs) (~45%)
• Contain hemoglobin
• Function in the transport of O2 and CO2
– The Leukocytes (WBCs) and platelets (thrombocytes)
(~1%)
• Leukocytes are involved in the body’s defense against the
invasion of foreign antigens.
• Platelets are involved in hemostasis which forms a barrier to
limit blood loss at an injured site.
What is haematology?
– Age, sex, and geographic location are involved in
physiologic changes in normal values of the formed
cellular elements
– Pathologic changes in the values of the formed
cellular elements occur with disease or injury.
– Normal values for a group are determined by
calculating the mean for healthy individuals of the
group and reporting the normal range as the mean +/-
2 standard deviations
Significance of blood
Ø Delivery of nutrients
ØOxygen
ØNutrients
ØVitamins
Ø Removal of wastes
ØCarbon dioxide
ØNitrogenous wastes
ØCellular toxins
Ø Protection against invading microorganisms
Ø Maintenance of vascular integrity
Basic scheme
• Blood leaves the heart in
arteries
• Branching of arteries until
they become tiny capillaries
– Oxygen and nutrients diffuse out
– CO2 and wastes diffuse in
• Capillaries merge forming veins going to the right side of the
heart heart
• The blood leaves the right side of the heart for the lungs to
pick up O2 and release CO2
• Blood goes back to the left side of the heart and gets pumped
to the rest of the body through the aorta then the cycle starts
all over
Composition Of Blood
• Contains cellular and liquid components
• A specialized connective tissue
– Blood cells – formed elements
– Plasma – fluid portion and fibrinogen
• Blood volume
– Males: 5 – 6 liters
– Females: 4 – 5 liters
• The pH of blood is about 7.35-7.45
Overview: Composition of Blood
• Hematocrit – measure of % RBC
– Males: 47% ± 5%
– Females: 42% ± 5%
Blood Composition
Composition of Blood:
1. Plasma
• Plasma: liquid portion of blood with out
cells. Contains all of the following
• Water Nutrients
• Electrolytes Metabolic waste product
• Hormones Vitamins and enzymes
• Plasma proteins such as fibrinogen, albumin and
globulin

• Serum: Blood that is allowed to stand clots

– Clear fluid serum = plasma without the clotting
factors
2. Erythrocytes
• Also called RBCs (red blood cells)
• Biconcave discs and flexible
• Plasma membrane but no nuclei or organelles
• Packed with hemoglobin molecules
– Oxygen carrying protein
– 4 chains of amino acids, each with iron which is binding
site for oxygen; CO2 carried also
• Young ones still containing
ribosomes are called
reticulocytes
• Live 100-120 days
3. Leukocytes

• Types of Leukocytes
– Granulocytes
• Neutrophils
• Eosinophils
• Basophils
– Agranulocytes
• Lymphocytes
• Monocytes

* Note the size difference

compared to erythrocytes
4. Thrombocytes

• Platelets – the smallest of the solid components of

the blood
• Not cells
• Small fragments broken off from megakaryocytes
Giemsa Stain