Untitled Quiz

Study Notes

Red blood cells are crucial for oxygen transport, carrying oxygen to and carbon dioxide away from tissues.
Anemia, a deficiency in circulating hemoglobin, impairs oxygen delivery and compromises health.
Red blood cells lack internal organelles (nucleus, lysosomes, mitochondria) to maximize space for hemoglobin.
Their biconcave shape enhances oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange.
Red blood cells rely entirely on glycolysis for ATP production, lacking the machinery for other metabolic processes.
Erythrocytes generate ATP exclusively through glycolysis.
Glucose enters red blood cells facilitated by GLUT1.
The glycolytic pathway has a unique branch converting 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate to 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate.
2,3-BPG binds hemoglobin promoting oxygen release.
Carbonic anhydrase catalyzes rapid conversion of CO₂ to carbonic acid.
This increases CO₂ solubility, aiding its transport.
Red blood cells have a 120-day lifespan, and their constant replacement is necessary for health.
Approximately 2 million new red blood cells are produced per second.
Erythropoietin (EPO) primarily produced by the kidney regulates red blood cell production.

Stem cells have self-renewal capacity and potency to produce diverse specialized cell types.
Stem cells can be totipotent, pluripotent, multipotent, or unipotent based on differentiation potential.
Embryonic and adult stem cells exist, with adult stem cells having limited differentiation abilities.
Hematopoietic stem cells give rise to red blood cells and platelets.
Cytokines are important for hematopoietic stem cell differentiation, such as stem cell factor and interleukins.

Methemoglobinemia occurs due to oxidized heme iron in hemoglobin.
Reduced methemoglobin occurs via NADH-dependent cytochrome b, reductase.
Methemoglobinemia is inherited or acquired.
Hereditary spherocytosis result from spectrin deficiency.
Abnormalities in spectrin, ankyrin, or other membrane proteins cause hereditary spherocytosis and elliptocytosis.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency can cause hemolytic anemia.
Hemolytic anemia can have extrinsic or intrinsic causes (beyond the erythrocyte).
Deficiency in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase makes red blood cells susceptible to oxidative stress.
Hemolytic anemia may be caused by extrinsic factors (like hypersplenism).
Intrinsic factors influencing hemolytic anemia relate to red blood cells' internal conditions.

Platelets are derived from megakaryocytes.
Platelets are crucial for hemostasis, preventing blood loss from damaged vessels.
Platelets lack a nucleus but contain mitochondria, lysozymes, and internal channels.
Platelets store clotting factors in granules.
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura is an autoimmune disorder affecting platelet counts.
Platelet disorders can compromise hemostasis.