BLOOD

EBK
 Objectives
• Define blood
• Name the constituents of blood
• Demonstrate the identifying features of
different blood cells
• Describe the functions of the blood cells
• Demonstrate the understanding of the
development of blood
 Definition
• Specialized connective tissue consisting of
a variety of cells suspended in a fluid
medium called plasma
• 5.5 L in man is a vehicle for transport of
gases, nutrients, metabolic waste
products, cells and hormones throughout
the body
• The formed elements of blood are
erythrocytes, platelets, and leukocytes
• Blood removed from the body clots
• Clot is made up of formed elements and
clear yellow liquid called serum
• If blood is prevented from clotting and
allowed to stand or centrifuged it
separates:-
• Plasma, leukocytes and erythrocytes
• Hematocrit is an estimate of the volume of
packed erythrocytes per unit volume of
blood
• Normal values:-
• 40-50% male
• 35-45% female
 Plasma
• Essentially an aqueous solution of
inorganic salts constantly exchanged with
extracellular fluid of body tissues
• Contains also plasma proteins , albumin,
globulins prothrombin and fibrinogen
• Colloidal osmotic pressure
• Organic compounds include amino acids,
vitamins, hormones, lipoproteins
 Blood cell types
• 3 major functional classes
• Erythrocytes/ red blood cells
• White blood cells/ leukocytes
• Platelets /thrombocytes
• All are formed in the bone marrow via
haemopoiesis
• Red blood cells primary involved in
transport of gases
• Erythron is the whole mass of red blood
cells and precursors in the bone marrow
• Leucocytes are involved in defence and
immune system of the body (transient in
blood to tissues)
• Platelets controlling bleeding
(haemostasis)
 Methods of study
• Blood smear on a glass slide
• Polychromatic staining technique
• Romanowsky-type:-
• Giemsa , Wright or Leishman methods
 4 distinctive staining
• Basophilia (deep blue) affinity for basic dye
methylene blue, DNA in the nucleus, RNA in the
cytoplasm i.e. ribosomes
• Azurophilia (purple) affinity for azure dyes, as
seen in with lysosomes
• Eosinophilia (pink) affinity for acidic dye eosin
also called acidophilia feature of haemoglobin
• Neutrophilia (salmon pink/lilac) specific to
certain specific cytoplasmic granules of
neutropils
• Bone marrow
• Aspirate
• Smear
• sections
 Erythrocytes
• Anucleated cells principal function to
transport oxygen and carbon dioxide
• Haemoglobin is synthesized
• Before entering circulation nucleus is
extruded and by maturity all cytoplasmic
organelles degenerate
• Normal 3.9-5.5 million per microliter
4.1 -6 million per microliter
• Limited number of
enzymes
• Biconcave disc
7.5,2.6 & 0.8µm
• Pale central region
• Flexibility
• Anerobic metabolism
• Life span 120 days
• Reduced number of
rbcs associated with
anaemia
• Increased number
polycythemia
• Macrocytes
• Microcytes
• Anisocytosis
• Sickle cell disease
 Reticulocytes
• 1% of total circulating
rbcs
• Residual ribosomes
• Demonstrated by
supravital staining
• Cresyl blue
• Increase seen after
blood loss
 Leucocytes
• Granulocytes
neutrophils
eosinophils
basophils
• Agranulocytes/mononuclear leucocytes
lymphocytes
monocytes
• Granulocytes possess two types of
granules
• Specific granules: bind neutral, basic or
acidic components of dye
• Azurophilic granules: stain purple and are
lysosomes
• Terminal non-dividing cells, apoptosis
 Neutrophils
• 40-75%
• Motile & phagocytic
• Acute inflammation
• Lobulated nucleus
• Pus cells
• opsonisation
 Eosinophils
• 1-6%
• Diurnal variation
• Remain in bone marrow for several days
• Circulate 3-8 hours
• Increase in parasitic infection
• Increase allergic reaction
• 12 -17 µm
• Bilobed nucleus
• Esonophilic granules
• Histaminase
• Major basic protein
• Antibody-antigen
complex
• IgE receptors
 Basophil
• Least common 1%
• Bilobed
• Basophilic granules
• Source of histamine, heparin, SRS-A,
ECF-A
• metachromatic
Lymphocytes
 Lymphocytes
• 20 – 50%
• Increases commonly in viral infections
• Immune functions
• 2 sizes histologically small and large
• 3 types: T, B and Natural killer
Monocytes
 Moncytes
• Large cell
• 2 -10%
• Motile and phagocytic – macrophages
• Nucleus eccentric and indented – kidney
shaped
• Organelle prominant
 Platelets
• Thrombocytes
• Nonnucleated, disklike cell fragments 2-
4µm
• Megakaryocytes
• Promote clotting of blood
• Repair gaps in blood vessels
 Bone marrow
• Meshwork of vascular sinuses
• Reticular tissue- fibroblasts
• Adipocytes
• Haemopoietic cells
End of lecture