Blood and Formed Elements Pre-Lab Exercises

Practice vocabulary flashcards focused on blood components, white blood cell classifications, blood typing, and related clinical conditions based on the laboratory manual exercises.

Formed Elements

The cellular portion of blood.

Erythrocyte

Also known as a RBC, these carry oxygen around the body on hemoglobin and make up approximately $44\%$ of blood volume.

Hemoglobin

An iron-containing protein located on erythrocytes used to transport oxygen.

Hematocrit

A measurement defined as the number of blood cells of a specific type divided by the total blood volume.

Leukocyte

Also known as a WBC, these cells play a role in the immune system and are divided into two subclasses based on the presence of visible granules.

Granulocyte

A type of white blood cell containing cytoplasmic granules that are visible when stained, including neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils.

Neutrophil

A granulocyte with a multilobed nucleus and light violet-pink cytoplasm that is attracted to sites of cell injury and active in destroying bacteria; they represent $60-70\%$ of leukocytes.

Eosinophil

A granulocyte with a bilobed nucleus and bright red granules involved in allergy response and responding to parasitic worm infections; they represent $4\%$ of leukocytes.

Basophil

A granulocyte with a bilobed nucleus and dark purple granules primarily involved in allergy response; they represent <1\% of leukocytes.

Agranulocyte

A white blood cell lacking specific cytoplasmic granules, including lymphocytes and monocytes.

Lymphocyte

An agranulocyte with a sphere-shaped nucleus and light violet cytoplasm; includes B cells that produce antibodies and T cells that destroy cancer or virus-infected cells, representing $20-25\%$ of leukocytes.

Monocyte

The largest leukocyte, characteristically possessing a horseshoe-shaped nucleus and light purple/blue cytoplasm; they mature into macrophages and represent $3-8\%$ of leukocytes.

Platelets

Small cellular fragments lacking nuclei and most organelles that appear dark purple and are involved in blood clotting.

Antigen

Glycoproteins found on erythrocyte cell surfaces used to determine blood type.

Antiserum

A solution containing antibodies used to determine blood type through the identification of specific antigens.

Antibody

A protein produced by B lymphocytes that binds to specific antigens, leading to agglutination.

Agglutination

The clumping of erythrocytes that occurs when antibodies bind to their target antigens.

Universal donor

Refers to blood type $O-$, which can be given to patients of any blood type.

Universal recipient

Refers to blood type $AB+$, which can receive blood from any blood type.

Anemia

A condition characterized by a low concentration of erythrocytes.

Polycythemia

A condition characterized by a high concentration of erythrocytes.

Leukopenia

A condition characterized by a low concentration of leukocytes.

Leukocytosis

A condition characterized by a high concentration of leukocytes.

Thrombocytopenia

A condition characterized by a low concentration of platelets.

Thrombocytosis

A condition characterized by a high concentration of platelets.