Vascular Biology and Haematology
Lecture 1: Introduction
Functions of Blood:
1. Transport of: Gases:
• Oxygen between the lungs and tissues for respiration and metabolism.
• CO2 between the tissues and the lungs for removal form the body
• Nutrients - carbohydrates, amino acids, fats, protein from gut to tissues.
• Hormones
• Removal of waste products: From tissues to liver and kidneys for processing and
excretion.
2. Regulations of Fluid, pH and Temperature
3. Protection of the immune system.
Therefore, it is vital that the body has a proper functioning vascular system to carry out these
vital functions.
Key components of the vascular system:
Cells:
• RBC: carry O2/CO2 (although most is carried as bicarbonate in the plasma)
• Platelets: Maintains vascular integrity
• WBC: Immune cells.
Liquid:
• Plasma - Over 90% is water with remaining 10% being mostly protein with some
electrolytes, vitamins and nutrients such as glucose and amino acids.
Pump and the piping
• Heart: pumps blood
• Blood vessels - arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, veins: These are vessels that
carry the blood to all parts of the body. This allows for perfusion to all tissue beds and
cells.
• Lymphatics: drainage of tissue fluid back to the blood.
,5 million RBC, to about 10000 WBC in a single drop of blood. Blood cell concentrations
differs during disease, therefore a blood count can give an indication of what is going on with
the patient.
With Red Blood Cells, when they differentiate in the bone marrow going from
proerythroblast to erythrocytes the cells increase their haemoglobin content and reduce the
size of their nucleus (loos/ extrusion of nucleus). Red blood cells can be stained for by
methylene blue.
Platelets can be stained with Gilma. White blood cells can be stained with
Haematoxylin/Eosin Staining. They are classified from staining, either being granular or
agranular.
Granulocytes: Neutrophils
- Most abundant granulocyte (60-70% of all WBCs)
- ~10-12 um in diameter with granuloses within the cytoplasm. They nucleus
has from 2-5 connected nuclear lobes that are rarely uniform is size
- Neutrophils respond quickly by chemotaxis to bacterial damage. They
phagocytose pathogens and release lysosome, strong oxidants and defensins to
kill the pathogen.
Granulocytes: Eosinophils
- Eosinophils represents 2-4% of all WBCs
- Similar to size to neutrophils, 10-12 um is diameter, with large uniform
granules.
- The nucleus usually has 2/3 lobes that tend to be more rounded and uniform
that found in neutrophils.
- Eosinophils combat histamines in allergic responses, phagocytize antigen-
antibody complexes and destroy some parasitic worms.
Granulocytes: Basophils
- Least common type of WBC, compromising only 0.5-1% of all WBCs.
- 8-10 um in diameter with large blue-black round granules in the cytoplasm
- Granules are the most easily identifiable character of this cell.
- Basophils exit the capillaries and enter the tissue fluid where they release
heparin, histamine and serotonin, during hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions
to stimulation inflammation.
Agranulocytes: Lymphocytes
- Lymphocytes make up 20-25% of all WBCs.
- These cells vary in size with small lymphocytes being 6-9 um and large
lymphocytes 10-14 um in diameter.
- The nucleus stains dark and is round or slightly indented with the cytoplasm
appearing as a rim around the nucleus.
- The round, uniform nucleus and small amount of cytoplasm surrounding it are
the best identifying characteristics for this cell.
- Lymphocytes are involved in the specific immune response including antigen
- antibody reactions.
,Agranulocytes: Monocytes
- Monocytes compromise 3-8% of all WBCs.
- They are the largest WBCs, 12-20 um in diameter.
- The nucleus is indented, or kidney shaped, not rounded, and surrounded by
foamy cytoplasm.
- Their size is the most easily identifiable characteristic.
- Monocytes are slow to response to infection but arrive in larger numbers.
- When stimulated they enlarge and differentiate into wandering macrophages
that clean up cellular debris and microbes following infections.
Circulatory System: Closed system for pumping blood around the body
Lymphatic System: Tissue fluid can return to the blood via a one-way flow
Lymph and Lymph Nose allow for immune surveillance.
When things go wrong, there is various problems
Problems with the piping:
- Venous pooling, this is when the veins has lost structure, so blood cannot
return back to the heart.
- Lack of delivery of the blood to the extremities - Reynaud's syndrome
- Lymphoedema - Fluid is being retained in the tissues instead of being
returned.
Problems with cells
Lack of RBC: anaemia
Low platelet count: petechiae due to thrombocytopenia.
Inflammation caused by WBC: caused by damage to vein/tissue
, Lecture 2: Blood Flow and Blood Rheology I
Constituents of the Blood:
• Blood is a structural solution: liquid containing specialised cells
• Macroscopic - Blood behaves as a liquid
• Microscopic - A suspension of solid particles.
To move blood around the body, there is a circulation, with pumps and vessels.
Blood is:
- Plasma 60-70g/l Protein
- Buffy Coat (1%) – white cells and platelets
- Red Blood Cells (40-45%). Also known as haematocrit and it is the most
dense
WBC and Platelets can affect the circulation sometimes depending on the size of the vessels.
Structure of RBC:
• Biconcave disk: 7-8 um in diameter, 2.5 um thick
• Anucleate
• No organelles
• Plasma membranes supported by spectrin.
Structure adapted to function: Transport, Viscosity, Deformability (to get through small
vessels).
Introduction to Rheology:
Lecture 1: Introduction
Functions of Blood:
1. Transport of: Gases:
• Oxygen between the lungs and tissues for respiration and metabolism.
• CO2 between the tissues and the lungs for removal form the body
• Nutrients - carbohydrates, amino acids, fats, protein from gut to tissues.
• Hormones
• Removal of waste products: From tissues to liver and kidneys for processing and
excretion.
2. Regulations of Fluid, pH and Temperature
3. Protection of the immune system.
Therefore, it is vital that the body has a proper functioning vascular system to carry out these
vital functions.
Key components of the vascular system:
Cells:
• RBC: carry O2/CO2 (although most is carried as bicarbonate in the plasma)
• Platelets: Maintains vascular integrity
• WBC: Immune cells.
Liquid:
• Plasma - Over 90% is water with remaining 10% being mostly protein with some
electrolytes, vitamins and nutrients such as glucose and amino acids.
Pump and the piping
• Heart: pumps blood
• Blood vessels - arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, veins: These are vessels that
carry the blood to all parts of the body. This allows for perfusion to all tissue beds and
cells.
• Lymphatics: drainage of tissue fluid back to the blood.
,5 million RBC, to about 10000 WBC in a single drop of blood. Blood cell concentrations
differs during disease, therefore a blood count can give an indication of what is going on with
the patient.
With Red Blood Cells, when they differentiate in the bone marrow going from
proerythroblast to erythrocytes the cells increase their haemoglobin content and reduce the
size of their nucleus (loos/ extrusion of nucleus). Red blood cells can be stained for by
methylene blue.
Platelets can be stained with Gilma. White blood cells can be stained with
Haematoxylin/Eosin Staining. They are classified from staining, either being granular or
agranular.
Granulocytes: Neutrophils
- Most abundant granulocyte (60-70% of all WBCs)
- ~10-12 um in diameter with granuloses within the cytoplasm. They nucleus
has from 2-5 connected nuclear lobes that are rarely uniform is size
- Neutrophils respond quickly by chemotaxis to bacterial damage. They
phagocytose pathogens and release lysosome, strong oxidants and defensins to
kill the pathogen.
Granulocytes: Eosinophils
- Eosinophils represents 2-4% of all WBCs
- Similar to size to neutrophils, 10-12 um is diameter, with large uniform
granules.
- The nucleus usually has 2/3 lobes that tend to be more rounded and uniform
that found in neutrophils.
- Eosinophils combat histamines in allergic responses, phagocytize antigen-
antibody complexes and destroy some parasitic worms.
Granulocytes: Basophils
- Least common type of WBC, compromising only 0.5-1% of all WBCs.
- 8-10 um in diameter with large blue-black round granules in the cytoplasm
- Granules are the most easily identifiable character of this cell.
- Basophils exit the capillaries and enter the tissue fluid where they release
heparin, histamine and serotonin, during hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions
to stimulation inflammation.
Agranulocytes: Lymphocytes
- Lymphocytes make up 20-25% of all WBCs.
- These cells vary in size with small lymphocytes being 6-9 um and large
lymphocytes 10-14 um in diameter.
- The nucleus stains dark and is round or slightly indented with the cytoplasm
appearing as a rim around the nucleus.
- The round, uniform nucleus and small amount of cytoplasm surrounding it are
the best identifying characteristics for this cell.
- Lymphocytes are involved in the specific immune response including antigen
- antibody reactions.
,Agranulocytes: Monocytes
- Monocytes compromise 3-8% of all WBCs.
- They are the largest WBCs, 12-20 um in diameter.
- The nucleus is indented, or kidney shaped, not rounded, and surrounded by
foamy cytoplasm.
- Their size is the most easily identifiable characteristic.
- Monocytes are slow to response to infection but arrive in larger numbers.
- When stimulated they enlarge and differentiate into wandering macrophages
that clean up cellular debris and microbes following infections.
Circulatory System: Closed system for pumping blood around the body
Lymphatic System: Tissue fluid can return to the blood via a one-way flow
Lymph and Lymph Nose allow for immune surveillance.
When things go wrong, there is various problems
Problems with the piping:
- Venous pooling, this is when the veins has lost structure, so blood cannot
return back to the heart.
- Lack of delivery of the blood to the extremities - Reynaud's syndrome
- Lymphoedema - Fluid is being retained in the tissues instead of being
returned.
Problems with cells
Lack of RBC: anaemia
Low platelet count: petechiae due to thrombocytopenia.
Inflammation caused by WBC: caused by damage to vein/tissue
, Lecture 2: Blood Flow and Blood Rheology I
Constituents of the Blood:
• Blood is a structural solution: liquid containing specialised cells
• Macroscopic - Blood behaves as a liquid
• Microscopic - A suspension of solid particles.
To move blood around the body, there is a circulation, with pumps and vessels.
Blood is:
- Plasma 60-70g/l Protein
- Buffy Coat (1%) – white cells and platelets
- Red Blood Cells (40-45%). Also known as haematocrit and it is the most
dense
WBC and Platelets can affect the circulation sometimes depending on the size of the vessels.
Structure of RBC:
• Biconcave disk: 7-8 um in diameter, 2.5 um thick
• Anucleate
• No organelles
• Plasma membranes supported by spectrin.
Structure adapted to function: Transport, Viscosity, Deformability (to get through small
vessels).
Introduction to Rheology:
