Blood System

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BLOOD SYSTEM

Agglutination: Clumping of recipient’s blood cells when incompatible blood of

different people is mixed.
Albumin: A protein found in the blood (Also called Serum albumin).
Antibodies: (fight against bacteria) protein substances whose formation by
lymphocytes is stimulated by the presence of antigens in the body. An antibody then
helps to neutralize or inactive the antigen that stimulated its formation.
Antigens: Foreign materials that stimulate the production of an antibody. Naturally
occurring antigens are the blood type factors A and B that are present at birth in some
individuals.
Basophil: White blood cell with large, dark, basic staining granules.
Bilirubin: Dark green pigment produced from hemoglobin when red blood cells are
destroyed.
Coagulation: The process of blood clotting.
Corpuscle: Little body – refers to a blood cell.
Electrophoresis: Method of separating substances (such as proteins) by electrical
charge.
Eosinophil: White blood cells with dense, reddish granules, associated with allergic
reactions.
Erythropoietin: A hormone secreted by the kidney that stimulates bone marrow to
make red blood cells.
Fibrin: Protein threads that form the basis of a blood clot.
Fibrinogen: Plasma protein that is converted to fibrin in the clotting process.
Globin: The protein part of hemoglobin.
Globulin: Plasma protein is separated by electrophoresis into alpha, beta and
gamma globulins.
Granulocytes: White blood cells with granules, eosinophils, neutrophils and
basophils.
Heparin: An anticoagulant produced by liver cells and found in blood and tissues.
Immune reaction: Process by which an antibody neutralizes or inactivates an
antigen.
Immunoglobulin: A protein (globulin) with antibody activity: examples are IgG,
IgM, IgA, IgE, IgD. (Immun/o means protection).
Leukocyte: A white blood cell.
Monocyte: A phagocytic white blood cell (agranulocyte) formed in the bone marrow.
Monocytes become macrophages as they leave the blood and enter body tissues.
Macrophages: Monocytes that have migrated from the blood to the tissue spaces.
They are large phagocytes (phago means swallow) that destroy red blood cells.
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Myeloid: derived from (oid) bone marrow cells.

Neutrophil: White blood cell (granulocytes) formed in the bone marrow, a phagocyte
with neutral staining granules, also called polymorphonuclear leukocyte.
Plasma: The liquid portion of the blood. It contains water, proteins, salts, nutrients,
hormones and vitamins.
Platelets: Smallest formed element in the blood, a thrombocyte.
Rh factor: An antigen normally found on red blood cells of Rh- positive individuals.
Serum: Plasma minus clotting proteins and cells.
Stem cell: A cell in the bone marrow that gives rise to different types of blood cells.
Thrombin: Enzyme that helps convert fibrinogen to fibrin during coagulation.
Thrombocyte: platelet.
Thromboplastin: A clotting factor that in combination with calcium, promotes the
formation of the fibrin clot.

COMBINING FORMS AND THEIR MEANINGS

1. agglutin/o – clumping Eg: agglutination – process of clumping (clumping

means sticking together )
2. bas/o – base ( alkaline, the opposite side of acid ) Eg: basophil – attraction
of base.
3. coagul/o – clotting Eg: anticoagulant – against clotting
4. eosin/o – red Eg: eosinophil – attracting red.
5. erythr/o – red Eg: erythrocytopenia – deficiency of red blood cells.
6. granul/o – granules Eg: granulocyte – cells which have granules in the
cytoplasm.
7. hem/o – blood Eg: hemolysis – destruction of red blood cells.
8. hemat/o – blood Eg: hematocrit – separation of hemoglobin.
9. hemoglobin/o – hemoglobin Eg: hemoglobinopathy – diseased condition of
hemoglobin.
10. leuk/o – white Eg: leukocytopenia – deficiency of white blood cells.
11. morph/o – shape Eg: morphology – study of shapes.
12. neutr/o – neutral, neither base or acid Eg: neutropenia – deficiency of
neutrophils.
13. necle/o – nucleus Eg: mononuclear – pertaining to single nucleus.
14. poly – many Eg: polymorphonuclear – pertaining to many shapes of
nucleus.
15. phag/o – eat Eg: phagocyte – cells which swallow.
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16. sider/o – iron Eg: sideropenia – deficiency of iron.
17. thromb/o – clot Eg: thrombocytopenia – deficiency of thrombocytes.
18. apheresis – removal Eg: plasmapheresis – removal of plasma.
19. blast – immature embryonic Eg: monoblast – immature monocytes
Eg: erythroblast – immature red blood cell.
20. cytosis - abnormal condition of cells Eg: macrocytosis – abnormal condition
of large red blood cells.
21. lytic – pertaining to destruction Eg: thrombolytic therapy – treatment
pertaining to destruction of thrombocytes.
22. oid – resembling Eg: myeloid – resembling the bone marrow.
23. osis – abnormal condition Eg: thrombosis – abnormal condition of
thrombocytes.
24. penia – deficiency Eg: granulocytopenia – deficiency of granulocytes.
25. phage – eat Eg: macrophage – large cells which swallow.
26. stasis – stop Eg: hemostasis – control of bleeding blood.

PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

1. Anemia -- deficiency in erythrocytes or hemoglobin.

2. Aplastic anemia -- Failure of blood cells production due to aplasia (absence
of development).
3. Hemolytic anemia -- reduction in red cells due to excessive destruction.
4. pernicious anemia -- lack of mature erythrocytes owing to inability to absorb
vitamin B12 into the body.
5. Sickle cell anemia -- A hereditary condition characterized by abnormal shape
of erythrocytes and by hemolysis.
6. Thalassemia -- An inherited defect in the ability to produce hemoglobin.
7. Hemophilia -- Excessive bleeding caused by congenital (hereditary) lack of
one of the protein substance ( factor VIII ) necessary for blood clotting.
8. Purpura -- Multiple pinpoint hemorrhages and accumulation of blood
under the skin.
9. Leukemia -- An increase in cancerous white blood cells.
10. Granulocytosis -- Abnormal increase in granulocytes in the blood.
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ABBREVIATIONS

ALL -- Acute lymphocytic leukemia

BMT -- Bone marrow transplant
CBC -- Complete blood count
G-CSF -- Granulocyte colony stimulating factor
IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG -- Immunoglobulins
MCV -- Mean corpuscular volume
GVHD -- Graft versus host disease
PT -- Prothrombin time
DC -- Differential count