week 11 Production and Maturation of RBCs

Red Blood Cells (RBCs)

• Produced in bone marrow, stimulated by erythropoietin
• Vitamin B12 and folic acid are essential for RBC maturation
• Life span of 100-120 days, undergo apoptosis, and release hemoglobin (Hb)
• Haematocrit: percentage of overall blood volume composed of RBCs, normal values: Males 45-55%, Females 35-45%
• Haemoglobin: carries oxygen to tissues, normal values: Males 130-160g/L, Females 120-150g/L

White Blood Cells (WBCs)

• Produced in bone marrow (granulocytes and monocytes) and glandular tissues (lymphocytes)
• 5 types of cells: polymorphonuclear neutrophils, polymorphonuclear eosinophils, polymorphonuclear basophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes
• Lymphocyte life span: 4-8 hrs in blood, 4-5 days in tissues
• White Cell Count: normal values: 4-12 x 10*9/L

Platelets (Thrombocytes)

• Particles of megakaryocyte cells
• Size: 1/5 of RBC
• Respond to endothelial injury, fully replaced every 10 days
• Normal value: 150-450 x 10*9/L
• 3 roles: Adhesion, Activation, and Aggregation

Coagulation Studies

• Prothrombin Time (PT): measures extrinsic pathway and clotting ability of factors I, II, V, VII, and X, normal values: 11-15 seconds
• International Normalised Ratio (INR): standardizes PT measurement
• Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT): measures effectiveness of common and intrinsic pathways, normal values: 30-40 seconds

Electrolytes

• Calcium (Ca): essential for muscle contractility, cardiac function, neural transmission, and clotting, normal values: Ionised 1.1-1.3mmol/L, Serum Calcium 2.1-2.5mmol/L
• Potassium (K): maintains cell positivity, important for protein synthesis, and acid-base balance, normal values: 3.5-4.5 mmol/L
• Sodium (Na): most abundant ion in extracellular compartment, major determinant of intravascular osmolarity, helps regulate volemia, normal values: 135-145 mmol/L
• Magnesium (Mg): mostly found intracellularly, critical for metabolic processes using ATP, increases intestinal absorption of Ca, and helps regulate Na/K ATPase pump, normal values: 0.7-1.0 mmol/L

Biochemistry

• Creatinine Kinase (CK): enzyme found in heart, skeletal muscle, and brain, levels rise within 6 hours of damage, normal values: < 150 U/L
• Urea (or Blood Urea Nitrogen, BUN): waste product of metabolized protein, excreted by the kidneys, normal values: < 10 mmol/L
• Creatinine: catabolic product of creatine phosphate, excreted entirely by the kidneys, normal values: < 100 mmol/L

Liver Function

• Alanine Amino Transferase (ALT) < 55 U/L
• Aspartate Amino Transferase (AST) < 45 U/L
• Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) < 100 U/L
• Bilirubin: orange-yellow pigment, by-product of Hb metabolism, eliminated via bile, normal value < 25 U/L
• Albumin: produced in the liver, essential for colloid osmotic pressure, normal value 35-45 U/L

Red Blood Cells (RBCs)

• Produced in bone marrow, stimulated by erythropoietin
• Vitamin B12 and folic acid are essential for RBC maturation
• Life span of 100-120 days, undergo apoptosis, and release hemoglobin (Hb)
• Haematocrit: percentage of overall blood volume composed of RBCs, normal values: Males 45-55%, Females 35-45%
• Haemoglobin: carries oxygen to tissues, normal values: Males 130-160g/L, Females 120-150g/L

White Blood Cells (WBCs)

• Produced in bone marrow (granulocytes and monocytes) and glandular tissues (lymphocytes)
• 5 types of cells: polymorphonuclear neutrophils, polymorphonuclear eosinophils, polymorphonuclear basophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes
• Lymphocyte life span: 4-8 hrs in blood, 4-5 days in tissues
• White Cell Count: normal values: 4-12 x 10*9/L

Platelets (Thrombocytes)

• Particles of megakaryocyte cells
• Size: 1/5 of RBC
• Respond to endothelial injury, fully replaced every 10 days
• Normal value: 150-450 x 10*9/L
• 3 roles: Adhesion, Activation, and Aggregation

Coagulation Studies

• Prothrombin Time (PT): measures extrinsic pathway and clotting ability of factors I, II, V, VII, and X, normal values: 11-15 seconds
• International Normalised Ratio (INR): standardizes PT measurement
• Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT): measures effectiveness of common and intrinsic pathways, normal values: 30-40 seconds

Electrolytes

• Calcium (Ca): essential for muscle contractility, cardiac function, neural transmission, and clotting, normal values: Ionised 1.1-1.3mmol/L, Serum Calcium 2.1-2.5mmol/L
• Potassium (K): maintains cell positivity, important for protein synthesis, and acid-base balance, normal values: 3.5-4.5 mmol/L
• Sodium (Na): most abundant ion in extracellular compartment, major determinant of intravascular osmolarity, helps regulate volemia, normal values: 135-145 mmol/L
• Magnesium (Mg): mostly found intracellularly, critical for metabolic processes using ATP, increases intestinal absorption of Ca, and helps regulate Na/K ATPase pump, normal values: 0.7-1.0 mmol/L

Biochemistry

• Creatinine Kinase (CK): enzyme found in heart, skeletal muscle, and brain, levels rise within 6 hours of damage, normal values: < 150 U/L
• Urea (or Blood Urea Nitrogen, BUN): waste product of metabolized protein, excreted by the kidneys, normal values: < 10 mmol/L
• Creatinine: catabolic product of creatine phosphate, excreted entirely by the kidneys, normal values: < 100 mmol/L

Liver Function

• Alanine Amino Transferase (ALT) < 55 U/L
• Aspartate Amino Transferase (AST) < 45 U/L
• Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) < 100 U/L
• Bilirubin: orange-yellow pigment, by-product of Hb metabolism, eliminated via bile, normal value < 25 U/L
• Albumin: produced in the liver, essential for colloid osmotic pressure, normal value 35-45 U/L

This quiz covers the process of red blood cell production and maturation, including the role of erythropoietin. Learn about the steps involved in producing healthy RBCs.