Lecture on Blood and Immune Disorders

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts related to blood and immune disorders, useful for review and exam preparation.

Plasma

The liquid component of blood that makes up 55% of the whole blood.

Buffy coat

A thin layer of white blood cells and platelets that makes up less than 1% of whole blood.

Erythrocytes

Red blood cells that constitute 45% of whole blood, responsible for oxygen transport.

Multipotent stem cells

Stem cells that have the potential to differentiate into various types of blood cells.

Myeloid stem cells

Stem cells that give rise to red blood cells, platelets, and granular leukocytes.

Lymphatic stem cells

Stem cells that develop into lymphocytes, essential for the immune response.

Erythropoietin (EPO)

A hormone produced in the kidney that stimulates the production of red blood cells.

Autoimmunity

A condition where the immune system attacks the body's own tissues.

Hypersensitivity

An exaggerated immune response that may lead to inflammation and tissue damage.

Hemolytic disease of the newborn

A condition caused by maternal antibodies destroying fetal red blood cells due to Rh incompatibility.

Anemia

A condition characterized by a deficiency of red blood cells, leading to reduced oxygen-carrying capacity.

Thrombocytopenia

A condition of low platelet count that can lead to increased bleeding risk.

Hemophilia

An inherited condition characterized by deficiency in clotting factors, leading to excessive bleeding.

Von Willebrand Disease

An inherited bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency of von Willebrand factor.

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)

A serious disorder in which the proteins that control blood clotting become overactive, leading to clotting and bleeding.

Bence Jones protein

Light-chain antibody fragments produced by malignant plasma cells, indicative of multiple myeloma.

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)

A type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, characterized by the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome.

Reed-Sternberg cell

A type of cell that is characteristic of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

A type of cancer characterized by the overproduction of immature lymphocytes, most common in children.

Plasma cell myeloma

A malignant disorder of plasma cells that invade bone and cause multiple myeloma.