Patton, Thibodeau & Douglas: Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology

Chapter 16: Blood

Answers to Quick Check Questions

1. Plasma.
2. Red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
3. Gender, age, body composition, and method of measurement.
4. Plasma, 55%; packed cell volume (hematocrit), 45%.
5. Four protein chains (globin), each bound to a heme group, each of which contains one
atom of iron.
6. 200 to 300 million molecules.
7. Erythrocytes begin their maturation sequence in the red bone marrow from nucleated
cells known as hematopoietic stem cells. In red blood cells, differentiation begins
with the appearance of proerythroblasts. Mitotic divisions then produce basophilic
erythroblasts. The next maturation division produces polychromatic erythroblasts,
which produce hemoglobin. These cells subsequently lose their nuclei and become
reticulocytes. Once released in the circulating blood, reticulocytes become mature
erythrocytes in about 24 to 36 hours.
8. The rate of RBC production soon speeds up if blood oxygen levels reaching the
tissues decrease. Oxygen deficiency increases RBC numbers by increasing the
secretion of a glycoprotein hormone called erythropoietin. If oxygen levels decrease,
the kidneys release increasing amounts of erythropoietin, which in turns stimulates
bone marrow to accelerate its production of RBCs. With increasing numbers of
RBCs, oxygen delivery to tissue increases, and less erythropoietin is produced and is
available to stimulate RBC production in the red bone marrow.
9. Granulocytes: neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils. Agranulocytes: lymphocytes
and monocytes.
10. Neutrophils: 65-75. Eosinophils: 2-5. Basophils: 0.5-1. Lymphocytes: 20-25.
Monocytes: 3-8.
11. Every person’s blood belongs to one of the four ABO blood types (groups). These
blood types are named according to the antigen present on the membranes of the
RBCs.
12. Type A: A antigen, anti-B antibody. Type B: B antigen, anti-A antibody. Type AB: A
and B antigens, no antibodies. Type O: no antigens, anti-A and anti-B antibodies.
13. If an Rh-negative mother is carrying an Rh-positive child, it is possible for some of
the Rh-positive blood to enter the mother’s bloodstream. This may stimulate the
mother’s body to form anti-Rh antibodies. If the mother carries another Rh-positive
baby in the future, the fetus may develop erythroblastosis fetalis, where the mother’s
Rh antibodies react with the baby’s Rh-positive cells.

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Answers to Quick Check Questions 2

14. The overall reaction of clotting can be summarized as follows: Prothrombin ----
(Prothrombin Activator + Calcium)---à Thrombin; Fibrinogen ----(Thrombin +
Calcium)---à Fibrin (Clot).

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