Unit #5 Worksheet: Erythrocytes *Not Marked*

Flashcards for Unit #5 Worksheet covering key terms and concepts related to erythrocytes and their characteristics, functions, and related medical terms.

What does a CBC measure besides WBC population?

Red Blood Cells and Platelets.

Define MCV.

Mean Corpuscular Volume.

What does MCH stand for?

mean corpuscular hemoglobin.

What does MCHC represent?

Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration.

What is RDW in blood tests?

RBC distribution width.

Define HCT.

Hematocrit/ packed cell volume.

What is a polychromatic cell?

A reticulocyte that appears pale blue-grey on a blood smear.

What is the normal percentage of polychromatic cells in dogs and cats?

1-2% of cells.

Do horses or cows show polychromatic cells in circulation?

No, maturation happens in the bone marrow.

What is the term for a nucleated erythrocyte?

Metarubricyte

What does hemoglobin do?

Carries oxygen and contains 4 atoms of iron.

What does a simple enzyme system do for erythrocytes?

Provides energy for sodium pumps, maintains hemoglobin and membrane function, facilitates O2 release.

What is Rouleaux formation?

Erythrocytes sticking together and stacking like coins.

What is a potential reason for Rouleaux formation?

Poor sample preparation or inflammation.

Name two ways RBCs are removed from the body.

Intravascular hemolysis (inside blood vessels) and extravascular (outside blood vessels).

Is conjugated bilirubin water soluble?

True.

What does yellowing around the eyes and mucus membrane indicate?

Excess bilirubin in circulation, indicating breakdown of RBCs.

Where do we examine erythrocytes on a blood smear?

In the monolayer.

Define macrocytosis.

Cells are larger than normal.

Define microcytosis.

Cells are smaller than normal.

Define anisocytosis.

Variation in the size of RBCs.

What does polychromatophilic mean?

Shades of blue/blue-grey, indicative of reticulocytes.

What is a characteristic of normochromic RBCs?

They have a normal color.

What does hypochromic mean in terms of RBCs?

Pale due to decreased hemoglobin, with increased central pallor.

What does hyperchromic mean in RBCs?

Increased color due to spherocytes, not related to hemoglobin concentration.

What are poikilocytes?

An abnormal variation in the shape of the cell

What happens after the breakdown of an old RBC?

It breaks into heme, globin, and biliverdin.

What protein carries oxygen in an RBC?

Hemoglobin.