UAMS HEMATOLOGY CORE EXAM MANUAL QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔High N:C ratio, round nucleus, even chromatin with dark clumping, blue cytoplasm. -
✔✔What are the characteristics of a lymphocyte?
✔✔Largest cell in normal blood, indented/folded nucleus, delicate and pale chromatin
with open spaces, chromatin is "lacy", has blue-gray cytoplasm.
Purpose is to present antigens to lymphocytes. - ✔✔What are the characteristics of a
monocyte? Monocyte purpose?
✔✔Cytoplasmic granules are red/orange, nucleus is most often bi-lobed but can be
banded. Purpose is to control allergic responses and inflammation, as well as protect
against parasitic infections. - ✔✔What are the characteristics of an eosinophil?
Purpose?
✔✔Large granules that are deep blue or black and so large that nucleus is hidden.
Purpose is to provide cell mediated immunity with histamine. - ✔✔What are the
characteristics of a basophil? Purpose?
✔✔It is a platelet precursor. Platelets form by pinching off from the cytoplasm. They
have no nucleus due to this. - ✔✔What is a megakaryocyte?
✔✔Plasma cells are derived from B cells to make antibodies. - ✔✔What are plasma
cells?
✔✔Performs phagocytosis and is involved in storage of iron along with helping with
immunity. - ✔✔What is a macrophage or histiocyte?
✔✔Osteoclast destroys bone. Osteoblast makes bone. - ✔✔What is an osteoclast?
Osteoblast?
✔✔Stain or buffer is too acidic, there was insufficient buffer, or too much rinsing. -
✔✔During a Wrights stain, if RBCs appear too orange and WBCs too pale, what is most
likely the cause?
✔✔Stain or buffer is too alkaline, there was too much buffer, or insufficient rinsing. -
✔✔During a Wrights stain, if RBCs appear gray and WBCs are too dark, what is most
likely the cause?
✔✔CBC. RBCs, WBCs, platelets, hemoglobin, and hematocrit. - ✔✔What is one of the
most common tests performed in the lab that is used as a screening tool, diagnostic
tool, and a monitoring tool? What does it look for?
, ✔✔Purple top - EDTA used as anticoagulant, either a liquid or powder. This provides
good cell preservation due to calcium binding and the cells will do well with staining.
Blue top - sodium citrate used as anticoagulant, liquid only. This is used with a 9:1 blood
to anticoagulant ratio. Calcium usually has to be added. CBC and RBC results must be
calculated, blue top typically used for WBC and platelet counts. Green top - heparin
used as anticoagulant, typically liquid. Cell count is alright but cells will stain too dark
with Wright Giemsa stain. - ✔✔During specimen collection of CBC, what do the colored
tops of the tubes indicate? What does each color mean?
✔✔High platelet count or thrombocytosis and high WBC count or leukocytosis. During
infection and inflammation, there will be a high number of immature cells such as
myelocytes and metamyelocytes and an increase of banded neutrophils. This is
commonly referred to as Left Shift. - ✔✔What is observed in infections, inflammation,
and blood malignancies such as leukemia? What exactly will be seen with infection and
inflammation? What is this referred to?
✔✔High RBC count or erythrocytosis/polycythemia. The kidneys release an increased
amount of erythropoietin which causes an increase of RBC production. This leads to an
increase of all cells, but is more noticeable in RBCs. - ✔✔What is typically observed
due to heart or lung problems, dehydration, or a myeloproliferative disorder (cancer)?
What causes this?
✔✔Low WBC count or leukopenia. This happens due to the body not being able to keep
up during infection. - ✔✔What is typically observed due to severe infections, blood
malignancies, certain types of anemia, and chemotherapy?
✔✔Low RBC count or anemia (low hemoglobin). - ✔✔What is typically observed due to
blood loss, nutritional deficiencies, or inherited conditions? Some disorders may cause
cell lysis or cells to be made improperly made.
✔✔Low platelet count or thrombocytopenia - ✔✔What is typically observed due to blood
malignancies, chemotherapy, and coagulation disorder?
✔✔Relative count. AKA differential. - ✔✔What is the percentage count, based on a total
of 100 WBC?
✔✔Absolute count - ✔✔What is the total number of WBC in 1 uL of blood called?
✔✔3.6 - 10.6 x 10^3 for WBC and 150 - 450 x 10^3 for platelets. - ✔✔What is the
normal range for WBCs? Platelets?
✔✔4.2 - 6.0 x 10^6 for males, 3.8 - 5.2 x 10^6 for females, and 4.1 - 6.1 x 10^6 for
newborns. Males have a higher range due to androgen stimulation of erythropoietin that
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔High N:C ratio, round nucleus, even chromatin with dark clumping, blue cytoplasm. -
✔✔What are the characteristics of a lymphocyte?
✔✔Largest cell in normal blood, indented/folded nucleus, delicate and pale chromatin
with open spaces, chromatin is "lacy", has blue-gray cytoplasm.
Purpose is to present antigens to lymphocytes. - ✔✔What are the characteristics of a
monocyte? Monocyte purpose?
✔✔Cytoplasmic granules are red/orange, nucleus is most often bi-lobed but can be
banded. Purpose is to control allergic responses and inflammation, as well as protect
against parasitic infections. - ✔✔What are the characteristics of an eosinophil?
Purpose?
✔✔Large granules that are deep blue or black and so large that nucleus is hidden.
Purpose is to provide cell mediated immunity with histamine. - ✔✔What are the
characteristics of a basophil? Purpose?
✔✔It is a platelet precursor. Platelets form by pinching off from the cytoplasm. They
have no nucleus due to this. - ✔✔What is a megakaryocyte?
✔✔Plasma cells are derived from B cells to make antibodies. - ✔✔What are plasma
cells?
✔✔Performs phagocytosis and is involved in storage of iron along with helping with
immunity. - ✔✔What is a macrophage or histiocyte?
✔✔Osteoclast destroys bone. Osteoblast makes bone. - ✔✔What is an osteoclast?
Osteoblast?
✔✔Stain or buffer is too acidic, there was insufficient buffer, or too much rinsing. -
✔✔During a Wrights stain, if RBCs appear too orange and WBCs too pale, what is most
likely the cause?
✔✔Stain or buffer is too alkaline, there was too much buffer, or insufficient rinsing. -
✔✔During a Wrights stain, if RBCs appear gray and WBCs are too dark, what is most
likely the cause?
✔✔CBC. RBCs, WBCs, platelets, hemoglobin, and hematocrit. - ✔✔What is one of the
most common tests performed in the lab that is used as a screening tool, diagnostic
tool, and a monitoring tool? What does it look for?
, ✔✔Purple top - EDTA used as anticoagulant, either a liquid or powder. This provides
good cell preservation due to calcium binding and the cells will do well with staining.
Blue top - sodium citrate used as anticoagulant, liquid only. This is used with a 9:1 blood
to anticoagulant ratio. Calcium usually has to be added. CBC and RBC results must be
calculated, blue top typically used for WBC and platelet counts. Green top - heparin
used as anticoagulant, typically liquid. Cell count is alright but cells will stain too dark
with Wright Giemsa stain. - ✔✔During specimen collection of CBC, what do the colored
tops of the tubes indicate? What does each color mean?
✔✔High platelet count or thrombocytosis and high WBC count or leukocytosis. During
infection and inflammation, there will be a high number of immature cells such as
myelocytes and metamyelocytes and an increase of banded neutrophils. This is
commonly referred to as Left Shift. - ✔✔What is observed in infections, inflammation,
and blood malignancies such as leukemia? What exactly will be seen with infection and
inflammation? What is this referred to?
✔✔High RBC count or erythrocytosis/polycythemia. The kidneys release an increased
amount of erythropoietin which causes an increase of RBC production. This leads to an
increase of all cells, but is more noticeable in RBCs. - ✔✔What is typically observed
due to heart or lung problems, dehydration, or a myeloproliferative disorder (cancer)?
What causes this?
✔✔Low WBC count or leukopenia. This happens due to the body not being able to keep
up during infection. - ✔✔What is typically observed due to severe infections, blood
malignancies, certain types of anemia, and chemotherapy?
✔✔Low RBC count or anemia (low hemoglobin). - ✔✔What is typically observed due to
blood loss, nutritional deficiencies, or inherited conditions? Some disorders may cause
cell lysis or cells to be made improperly made.
✔✔Low platelet count or thrombocytopenia - ✔✔What is typically observed due to blood
malignancies, chemotherapy, and coagulation disorder?
✔✔Relative count. AKA differential. - ✔✔What is the percentage count, based on a total
of 100 WBC?
✔✔Absolute count - ✔✔What is the total number of WBC in 1 uL of blood called?
✔✔3.6 - 10.6 x 10^3 for WBC and 150 - 450 x 10^3 for platelets. - ✔✔What is the
normal range for WBCs? Platelets?
✔✔4.2 - 6.0 x 10^6 for males, 3.8 - 5.2 x 10^6 for females, and 4.1 - 6.1 x 10^6 for
newborns. Males have a higher range due to androgen stimulation of erythropoietin that
