Basic Hematology Principles and RBC Indices

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Questions and Answers

What is the normal range for normocytic red blood cells in femtoliters?

80-100 fL (correct)

90-110 fL

60-80 fL

100-120 fL

What does anisocytosis refer to in a blood sample?

Increase in platelet count

Decrease in total white blood cell count

Variation in cell size (correct)

Normal red blood cell size

Which condition is associated with decreased microcytic red blood cells?

Liver disease

Hemolytic anemia

Thalassemia (correct)

Megaloblastic anemia

Which of the following conditions would likely result in an increased mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)?

Hemolytic anemia with reticulocytosis Signup and view all the answers

What components make up the buffy coat in whole blood?

Leukocytes and platelets Signup and view all the answers

Which anemia is characterized by decreased red blood cell size?

Microcytic anemia Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of liver disease on red blood cell size?

Increases mean corpuscular volume Signup and view all the answers

What does whole blood consist of?

Erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets, and plasma Signup and view all the answers

What is the normal value range for Hemoglobin in males?

13.5-17.5 g/dL Signup and view all the answers

Which process is characterized by the continuous formation of blood cells?

Hematopoiesis Signup and view all the answers

What is the expected normal value for Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)?

80-100 femtoliters Signup and view all the answers

What type of red blood cells are indicative of iron deficiency and thalassemia?

Hypochromic RBCs Signup and view all the answers

Which lymphocyte type normally measures 6-9 μm?

Normal lymphocytes Signup and view all the answers

What is the normal platelet count range?

150,000-450,000/uL Signup and view all the answers

What indicates the presence of spherocytes in serum analysis?

38 g/dL Signup and view all the answers

What is the normal value range for RBC Distribution Width (RDW)?

11.5-14.5% Signup and view all the answers

What is the normal range for Mean Platelet Volume (MPV)?

6.8-10.2 fL Signup and view all the answers

What causes retrogression in bone marrow?

Transformation of red marrow to yellow marrow Signup and view all the answers

What is the size of erythrocytes (RBCs)?

6-8 μm Signup and view all the answers

Which staining technique is commonly used for routine blood smear analysis?

Wright's stain Signup and view all the answers

In the context of RBC indices, what does MCHC indicate?

Mean concentration of hemoglobin in a given volume of blood Signup and view all the answers

What is the hematocrit normal value range for females?

36-46% Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Basic Hematology Principles

Whole blood comprises erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets, and plasma.
The buffy coat contains leukocytes and platelets.
Serum is the liquid part of clotted blood, lacking fibrinogen. Both serum and plasma are about 90% water.
Formed elements vary in size: thrombocytes (2-4 µm), erythrocytes (6-8 µm), lymphocytes (6-9 µm), reactive lymphocytes (10-22 µm), basophils (10-15 µm), segmented neutrophils (10-15 µm), band neutrophils (10-15 µm), eosinophils (12-16 µm), and monocytes (12-20 µm).

RBC Indices

Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV): Indicator of average RBC volume; normal value: 80-100 fL; Normocytic (80-100 fL), Microcytic (<80 fL). Increased in megaloblastic anemia, hemolytic anemia, liver disease, and normal newborns; decreased in iron deficiency, thalassemia, sideroblastic anemia, and lead poisoning.
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH): Indicator of average hemoglobin weight in individual RBCs; normal value: 26-34 pg.
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC): Measure of average hemoglobin concentration; normal value: 32-37 g/dL; Hypochromic ( <32 g/dL), seen in iron deficiency and thalassemia; 38 g/dL suggests spherocytes; >38 g/dL indicates a machine error.
Anisocytosis: Increased variation in RBC size.
Anisochromia: Variation in RBC color.
RBC Distribution Width (RDW): Normal value: 11.5-14.5%; reflects anisocytosis; elevated in post-transfusion states, post-treatment, idiopathic sideroblastic anemia, and dual deficiencies (iron and folate).
Hematocrit: Percentage of RBCs in whole blood; normal values: Males 41-53%, Females 36-46%. Microhematocrit is the reference manual method.
Hemoglobin: Normal values: Males 13.5-17.5 g/dL, Females 12.0-16.0 g/dL.
Platelets: Normal value: 150-450 x 10⁹/L or 150,000-450,000/µL.
Mean Platelet Volume (MPV): Normal value: 6.8-10.2 fL.

Hematology Staining

Romanowsky stains (nonvital): Wright's stain (most common), uses methanol as fixative, eosin (acidic), methylene blue (basic), and phosphate buffer (pH 6.4-6.8).
Prussian blue (nonvital monochrome): Visualizes iron granules; contains potassium ferrocyanide, HCl, and a safranin counterstain.
Supravital stains (living cells): New methylene blue or brilliant cresyl blue (for reticulocytes); neutral red with brilliant cresyl green (for Heinz bodies). No fixative needed.

Hematopoiesis

Continuous regulated process of blood cell formation (renewal, proliferation, differentiation, maturation).
Occurs in the reticuloendothelial system (RES): bone marrow, spleen, liver, thymus, and lymph nodes.
Bone marrow: Primary site by 24 weeks gestation; red marrow is hematopoietically active; yellow marrow is inactive (adipocytes).
Retrogression: Transformation of red marrow to yellow marrow.
Cellularity: Ratio of marrow cells to fat; normocellular (30-70% hematopoietic cells), hypercellular (>70%), hypocellular (<30%).

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Description

Test your knowledge on the essential principles of hematology, including blood components and RBC indices. This quiz covers concepts related to erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets, and their respective measurements. Understand how to interpret the Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH).