Hum Anat Phy Lab 2: The Blood

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering hematology essentials, including plasma composition, formed elements, differential leukocyte characteristics, erythrocyte lifecycle, the clotting cascade, and ABO/Rh blood grouping.

Blood

A specialized connective tissue composed of approximately $55\%$ fluid plasma and $45\%$ formed elements.

Plasma

The fluid portion of whole blood, making up about $55\%$ of total blood volume and composed of water ($91\text{--}92\%$), proteins ($7\%$), and solutes ($1\text{--}2\%$).

Buffy Coat

The thin intermediate layer formed after blood centrifugation that makes up $<1\%$ of whole blood, containing leukocytes ($4.5\text{--}11\text{ thousand}/\text{mm}^3$) and platelets ($150\text{--}400\text{ thousand}/\text{mm}^3$).

Blood Viscosity

The thickness and internal resistance of whole blood relative to water, with a normal value of $4.5\text{--}5.5\times$.

Normal Blood pH

The tightly regulated physiological pH range of arterial human blood, normally between $7.35$ and $7.45$.

Normal Blood Temperature

The physiological core temperature of circulating blood, averaging $38\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ ($100.4\,^{\circ}\text{F}$).

Albumin

The most abundant plasma protein, comprising $58\%$ of total plasma proteins; functions in transport and osmotic pressure maintenance.

Hematopoiesis

The process of blood cell formation occurring in the red bone marrow, originating from undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cells.

Erythrocyte

An anucleate, biconcave disc-shaped blood cell measuring approximately $7.5\,\mu\text{m}$ across and containing roughly $280\text{ million}$ hemoglobin molecules.

Hemoglobin

A respiratory pigment protein consisting of four globin chains ($2\,\alpha$ and $2\,\beta$) that bind $\text{CO}_2$, and four central heme groups containing iron ions ($\text{Fe}^{2+}$) that bind $\text{O}_2$.

Erythropoietin (EPO)

A hormone released by the kidneys in response to decreased blood oxygen levels that stimulates red bone marrow to accelerate erythrocyte production.

Bilirubin

A yellow-orange pigment produced from the conversion of ironless heme via biliverdin during erythrocyte destruction; transported by albumin to the liver and excreted in bile.

Stercobilin

A brown pigment formed from urobilinogen in the large intestine that gives feces its characteristic color and is eliminated from the body.

Urobilin

A yellow pigment formed when urobilinogen is reabsorbed into the blood and excreted by the kidneys into urine.

Anemia

A clinical deficiency characterized by abnormally low levels of erythrocytes or hemoglobin, resulting from hemorrhage, hemolysis, nutritional deficiencies, or parasites.

Polycythemia

An abnormal excess of red blood cells in the circulation, commonly caused by prolonged hypoxia or erythropoietin-secreting tumors.

Sickle Cell Disease

An inherited hemolytic anemia wherein red blood cells deform into rigid, crescent- or sickle-shaped erythrocytes, causing vascular occlusion and hemolysis.

Neutrophils

The most numerous granulocytes ($50\text{--}70\%$ of leukocytes) possessing multi-lobed segmented nuclei; specialized to phagocytize foreign microorganisms and substances.

Eosinophils

Granulocytes characterized by reddish cytoplasmic inclusions ($1\text{--}4\%$ of leukocytes) that produce antihistamines to counter inflammatory reactions.

Basophils

Granulocytes containing coarse blue cytoplasmic granules ($0.5\text{--}1\%$ of leukocytes) that produce and release heparin, histamine, and serotonin.

Monocytes

Large agranular leukocytes ($2\text{--}8\%$ of leukocytes) featuring a 'U'-shaped nucleus that phagocytize bacteria and debris and migrate into tissues to become macrophages.

Lymphocytes

Small agranular leukocytes ($20\text{--}40\%$ of leukocytes) with large, spherical nuclei, classified into T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes for adaptive immune defense.

Phagocytosis

The cellular ingestion process where pseudopods engulf foreign particles into a phagosome, which subsequently fuses with a lysosome into a phagolysosome for enzymatic digestion.

Leukopenia

An abnormally low total white blood cell count in the blood, frequently induced by chemotherapy or viral infections.

Leukocytosis

An elevated white blood cell count exceeding normal ranges, typically indicative of active bacterial infection or leukemia.

Thrombocytes (Platelets)

Disk-shaped cellular fragments derived from bone marrow megakaryocytes ($150{,}000\text{--}400{,}000/\text{mm}^3$) that initiate hemostasis and prevent fluid loss.

Syneresis

The physiological process of clot retraction that tightens a formed fibrin meshwork and pulls the damaged vessel walls closer together.

Fibrinolysis

The enzymatic dissolution and breakdown of a blood clot following tissue repair.

Thrombin

An active enzyme formed from prothrombin in the coagulation cascade that catalyzes the cleavage of soluble fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin polymers.

Fibrin

An insoluble, thread-like fibrous protein that creates a mesh-like net to trap erythrocytes and platelets, forming a stable blood clot.

Thrombosis

The abnormal formation of an intravascular blood clot within an unbroken blood vessel.

Embolus

A free-floating blood clot, air bubble, or mass carried through the bloodstream that can obstruct distant blood vessels.

Infarction

Localized tissue death caused by the complete cessation or severe impairment of blood supply.

Agglutination

The clumping of donor red blood cells occurring when recipient antibodies bind to incompatible RBC surface antigens, initiating a transfusion reaction.

Type AB Blood

The ABO blood group characterized by erythrocytes possessing both surface antigens A and B, and plasma containing neither anti-A nor anti-B antibodies.

Type O Blood

The ABO blood group characterized by erythrocytes lacking both A and B surface antigens, with plasma containing both anti-A and anti-B antibodies.

Antigen D

The primary and most clinically significant Rh group antigen determining whether blood is categorized as Rh-positive or Rh-negative.

Erythroblastosis Fetalis

A severe hemolytic disease of the newborn occurring when maternal anti-D antibodies from an $\text{Rh}^-$ mother cross the placenta to attack the red blood cells of a second $\text{Rh}^+$ fetus.

RhoGAM

An immune globulin injected into an $\text{Rh}^-$ mother to destroy fetal $\text{Rh}^+$ cells before sensitization can occur, preventing erythroblastosis fetalis in future pregnancies.