Blood Typing and Hematocrit

What are the principal functions of blood?

• Transportation of oxygen and nutrients

• Defense from external threats

• Maintenance of homeostasis

What do we use to measures someone’s O2 carrying capacity?

• Hematocrit

• Hemoglobin

What can each hemoglobin molecule do?

Transport four oxygen molecules

What is the normal hematocrit percentages of men and women?

• Men: 42-52%

• Women: 37-48%

What is the normal hemoglobin concentration for men and women?

• Men: 13-18 g/dL

• Women: 12-15 g/dL

What is the normal RBC count of men and women?

• Men: 4.6-6.2 million/uL

• Women: 4.2-5.4 million/uL

How come these values are lower in women?

• Androgens stimulate RBC production

• Women have periodic menstrual losses

• Hematocrit is inversely related to body fat percentage

What is polycthemia?

An excess of RBCs

What is primary polycythemia?

a. Cancer of erythropoietic cell line in red bone marrow

b. RBC count as high as 11 million RBCs/uL;hematocrit 80%

What is secondary polycythemia?

a. Causes include dehydration, emphysema, high altitude, physical conditioning

b. RBC count up to 8 million RBCs/uL

What are the dangers of polycythemia?

• Increased blood volume, pressure, viscosity

• Can lead to embolism, renal damage, hypertension, stroke, or heart failure

What is blood doping?

1. Transfusions

2. Injections

3. Other methods

What are the dangers of blood doping? What does this do to your hematocrit?

• Increases the number of red blood cells in the body, which raises hematocrit and improves oxygen delivery to muscles.

• Makes the blood thicker, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, blood clots, and other cardiovascular problems.

What is anemia

• When the body’s oxygen carrying capacity is too low to support normal metabolism

• SIGN of a disorder or disease

• Can be due to low levels of circulating red blood cells or hemoglobin

What are the causes of anemia?

1. Hemorrhagic anemias from bleeding (blood loss)

2. Hemolytic anemias from RBC destruction (destruction of blood cells)

3. Decrease in production of erythropoiesis or hemoglobin synthesis

What are the antibodies in plasma of type A blood cells

Anti-B

What are the antigens in red blood cell of type A blood cells

A antigen

What are the blood types compatible with A blood cells

A, O

What are the antibodies in plasma of type B blood cells

Anti-A

What are the antigens in red blood cell of type B blood cells

B antigen

What are the blood types compatible with B blood cells

B,O

What are the blood types compatible with AB blood cells

A, B, AB, O

What are the antigens in red blood cell of type AB blood cells

A and B antigens

What are the antibodies in plasma of type AB blood cells

None

What are the antibodies in plasma of type O blood cells

Anti-A, and Anti-B

What are the antigens in red blood cell of type O blood cells

None

What are blood types compatible with O blood cells

O

How do you calculate hemocrit?

x/y * 100