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Chapter 10, MedTerms
Blood and Immunity
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Erythrocyte (red blood cell) | Tiny (7 mcm diameter), biconcave disk without nucleus (anuclear); carries oxygen bound to hemoglobin; also carries some carbon dioxide and buffers blood; 5 million per microliter of blood |
Leukocyte (white blood cell) | Larger than red cell with prominent nucleus that may be segmented or unsegmented; types vary in staining properties; protects against pathogens and destroys foreign matter and debris; located in blood, tissues, and lymphatic system; 5k to 10k per mL |
Platelet (thrombocyte) | Fragment of large cell (megakaryocyte); hemostasis; forms a platelet plug and starts blood clotting (coagulation); 150,000 to 450,000 per microliter of blood |
neutrophil | Cell type: granulocyte; relative percentage per adult is 54 to 62 percent; functions in phagocytosis |
eosinophil | Cell type: granulocyte; relative percentage per adult is 1 to 3 percent; functions in allergic reactions, defends against parasites |
basophil | Cell type: granulocyte; relative percentage per adult is less than 1 percent; functions in allergic reactions |
lymphocyte | Cell type: agranulocyte; relative percentage per adult is 25 to 38 percent; functions in immunity (T cells and B cells) |
monocyte | Cell type: agranulocyte; relative percentage per adult is 3 to 7 percent; functions in phagocytosis |
agranulocyte | A white blood cell that does not have visible granules in its cytoplasm; agranulocytes include lymphocytes and monocytes |
albumin | A simple protein found in blood plasma |
antibody | A protein produced in response to and interacting specifically with an antigen |
antigen | A substance that induces the formation of an antibody |
antigen-presenting cell (APC) | Immune cell that takes in a foreign antigen, processes it, and presents it on the cell surface in combination with the body's own proteins, thus activating a T cell; examples are dendritic cells and macrophages, which are descendants of monocytes |
B cell | A lymphocyte that matures in bone marrow and is active in producing antibodies; B lymphocyte |
band cell | An immature neutrophil with a nucleus in the shape of a band; also called a stab cell; band cell counts are used to trace infections and other diseases |
basophil | A granular leukocyte that stains strongly with basic dyes; active in allergic reactions |
blood | The fluid that circulates in the cardiovascular system (roots: hem/o, hemat/o) |
coagulation | Blood clotting |
cross-matching | Testing the compatibility of donor and recipient blood in preparation for a transfusion; donor red cells are mixed with recipient serum to look for an immunologic reaction; similar tests are done on tissues before transplantation |
electrolyte | A substance that separates into charged particles (ions) in solution; a salt; term also applied to ions in body fluids |
eosinophil | A granular leukocyte that stains strongly with acidic dyes; active in allergic reactions and defense against parasites |
erythrocyte | A red blood cell (roots: erythr/o, erythrocyt/o) |
erythropoietin (EPO) | A hormone produced in the kidneys that stimulates red blood cell production in the bone marrow; this hormone is now made by genetic engineering for clinical use |
fibrin | The protein that forms a clot in the blood coagulation process |
fibrinogen | The inactive precursor of fibrin |
formed elements | The cellular components of blood |
gamma globulin | The fraction of the blood plasma that contains antibodies; given for passive transfer of immunity |
granulocyte | A white blood cell that has visible granules in its cytoplasm; granulocytes include neutrophils, basophils, and eosinophils |
hemoglobin (Hb, Hgb) | The iron-containing pigment in red blood cells that transports oxygen |
hemostasis | The stoppage of bleeding |
immunity | The state of being protected against a disease (root: immun/o) |
immunoglobulin (Ig) | An antibody; immunoglobulins fall into five classes, each abbreviated with a capital letter: IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD, IgE |
leukocyte | A white blood cell (roots: leuk/o, leukocyt/o) |
lymphocyte | An agranular leukocyte active in immunity (T and B cells); found in both the blood and in lymphoid tissue (roots: lymph/o, lymphocyt/o) |
megakaryocyte | A large bone marrow cell that fragments to release platelets |
monocyte | An agranular phagocytic leukocyte |
neutrophil | A granular leukocyte that stains weakly with both acidic and basic dyes; the most numerous of the white blood cells; a type of phagocyte |
phagocytosis | The engulfing of foreign material by white blood cells |
plasma | The liquid portion of the blood |
plasma cell | A mature form of a B cell that produces antibodies |
platelet | A formed element of the blood that is active in hemostasis; a thrombocyte (root: thrombocyt/o) |
serum | The fraction of the plasma that remains after blood coagulation; it is the equivalent of plasma without its clotting factors (plural: sera, serums) |
T cell | A lymphocyte that matures in the thymus and attacks foreign cells directly; T lymphocyte |
thrombocyte | A blood platelet (root: thrombocyt/o) |
-emia, -hemia | condition of blood |
-penia | decrease in, deficiency of |
-poiesis | formation, production |
myel/o | bone marrow |
hem/o, hemat/o | blood |
erythr/o, erythrocyt/o | red blood cell |
leuk/o, leukocyt/o | white blood cell |
lymph/o, lymphocyt/o | lymphocyte |
thromb/o | blood clot |
thrombocyt/o | platelet, thrombocyte |
immun/o | immunity, immune system |
azot/o | nitrogenous compounds |
calc/i | calcium (symbol Ca) |
ferr/o, ferr/i | iron (symbol Fe) |
sider/o | iron |
kali | potassium (symbol K) |
natri | sodium (symbol Na) |
ox/y | oxygen (symbol O) |
red blood cell count (RBC) test | number of red blood cells per microliter of blood |
white blood cell count (WBC) test | number of white blood cells per microliter of blood |
differential count (Diff) test | relative percentage of the different types of leukocytes |
hematocrit (Ht, Hct, crit) test | relative percentage of packed red cells in a given volume of blood |
packed cell volume (PCV) test | hematocrit |
hemoglobin (Hb, Hgb) test | amount of hemoglobin in g/dL (100 mL) of blood |
mean corpuscular volume (MCV) test | volume of an average red cell |
mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) test | average weight of hemoglobin in red blood cells |
mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) test | average concentration of hemoglobin in red blood cells |
erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test | rate of erythrocyte setting per unit of time; used to detect infection or inflammation |
complete blood count (CBC) test | series of tests including cell counts, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and cell volume measurements |
activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) test | Measures time required for clot formation; used to evaluate clotting factors and monitor heparin therapy |
bleeding time (BT) test | Measures capacity of platelets to stop bleeding after a standard skin incision |
partial thromboplastin time (PTT) test | Evaluates clotting factors; similar to APTT, but less sensitive |
prothrombin time (PT, pro time) test | Indirectly measures prothrombin; used to monitor anticoagulant therapy; also called Quick test |
thrombin time, thrombin clotting time (TT, TCT) test | Measures how quickly a clot forms |
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) | Immune system failure caused by infection with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus); the virus infects certain T cells and thus interferes with immunity |
allergen | A substance that causes an allergic response |
allergy | Hypersensitivity |
anaphylactic reaction | An exaggerated allergic reaction to a foreign substance; it may lead to death caused by circulatory collapse and respiratory distress if untreated; also called anaphylaxis (from Greek phylaxis, meaning "protection") |
anemia | A deficiency in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood; may result from blood loss, malnutrition, a hereditary defect, environmental factors, and other causes |
angioedema | A localized edema with large hives (wheals) similar to urticaria but involving deeper layers of the skin and subcutaneous tissue |
aplastic anemia | Anemia caused by bone marrow failure resulting in deficient blood cell production, especially of red cells; pancytopenia |
autoimmune disease | A condition in which the immune system produces antibodies against an individual's own tissues (prefix auto means "self") |
Cooley anemia | A form of thalassemia (hereditary anemia) that affects production of the β (beta) hemoglobin chain; thalassemia major |
delayed hypersensitivity reaction | An allergic reaction involving T cells that takes at least 12 hours to develop; examples are various types of contact dermatitis, such as poison ivy or poison oak; the tuberculin reaction (test for TB); and rejections of transplanted tissue |
disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) | Widespread clot formation in the microscopic vessels; may be followed by bleeding caused by depletion of clotting factors |
ecchymosis | A collection of blood under the skin caused by leakage from small vessels (root chym means "juice") |
hemolysis | The rupture of red blood cells and the release of hemoglobin (adjective: hemolytic) |
hemophilia | A hereditary blood disease caused by lack of a clotting factor resulting in abnormal bleeding |
hemorrhagic anemia | Anemia that results from blood loss, as from an injury or internal bleeding |
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) | The virus that causes AIDS |
Hodgkin disease | A neoplastic disease of unknown cause that involves the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and other tissues; characterized by the presence of giant Reed-Sternberg cells |
hypersensitivity | An immunologic reaction to a substance that is harmless to most people; allergy |
immunodeficiency | A congenital or acquired failure of the immune system to protect against disease |
intrinsic factor | A substance produced in the stomach that aids in the intestinal absorption of vitamin B12, necessary for the manufacture of red blood cells; lack of intrinsic factor causes pernicious anemia |
Kaposi sarcoma | Cancerous lesion of the skin and other tissues, seen most often in patients with AIDS |
leukemia | Malignant overgrowth of immature white blood cells; may be chronic or acute; may affect bone marrow (myelogenous leukemia) or lymphoid tissue (lymphocytic leukemia) |
lymphadenopathy | Any disease of the lymph nodes |
multiple myeloma | A tumor of the blood-forming tissue in bone marrow |
non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) | A widespread malignant disease of lymph nodes that involves lymphocytes; it differs from Hodgkin disease in that giant Reed-Sternberg cells are absent |
nutritional anemia | Anemia resulting from a dietary deficiency, usually of iron, vitamin B12, or folate |
Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) | An abnormal chromosome found in the cells of most individuals with chronic granulocytic (myelgenous) leukemia |
pernicious anemia | Anemia caused by failure of the stomach to produce intrinsic factor, a substance needed for the absorption of vitamin B12; this vitamin is required for the formation of erythrocytes |
petechiae | Pinpoint, flat, purplish-red spots caused by bleeding within the skin or mucous membrane (singular: petechia) |
purpura | A condition characterized by hemorrhages into the skin, mucous membranes, internal organs, and other tissues (from Greek word meaning "purple"); thrombocytopenic purpura is caused by a deficiency of platelets |
sickle cell anemia | A hereditary anemia caused by the presence of abnormal hemoglobin; red blood cells become sickle-shaped when they give up oxygen and interfere with normal blood flow to the tissues; most common in black populations of West African descent |
sideroblastic anemia | Anemia caused by inability to use available iron to manufacture hemoglobin; the excess iron precipitates in normoblasts (developing red blood cells) |
Sjögren syndrome | An autoimmune disease involving dysfunction of the exocrine glands and affecting secretion of tears, saliva, and other body fluids; deficiency leads to dry mouth, tooth decay, corneal damage, eye infections, and difficulty in swallowing |
splenomegaly | Enlargement of the spleen |
systemic lupus erythematosus | Inflammatory connective tissue disease affecting the skin and multiple organs; patients are sensitive to light and may have a red butterfly-shaped rash over the nose and cheeks |
systemic sclerosis | A diffuse connective tissue disease that may have involve any system causing inflammation, degeneration, and fibrosis; also called scleroderma because it causes thickening of the skin |
thalassemia | A group of hereditary anemias mostly found in populations of Mediterranean descent (the name comes from the Greek word for "sea") |
thrombocytopenia | A deficiency of thrombocytes (platelets) in the blood |
urticaria | A skin reaction consisting of round, raised eruptions (wheals) with itching; hives |
adrenaline | A powerful stimulant produced by the adrenal gland and sympathetic nervous system; activates the cardiovascular, respiratory, and other systems needed to meet stress; used as a drug to treat severe allergic reactions and shock; also called epinephrine |
CD4+ T lymphocyte count | A count of the T cells that have the CD4 receptors for the AIDS virus (HIV); a count of less than 200/mcL of blood signifies severe immunodeficiency |
epinephrine | A powerful stimulant produced by the adrenal gland and sympathetic nervous system; activates the cardiovascular, respiratory, and other systems needed to meet stress; used as a drug to treat severe allergic reactions and shock; also called adrenaline |
reticulocyte counts | Blood counts of reticulocytes, a type of immature red blood cell; reticulocyte counts are useful in diagnosis to indicate the rate of erythrocyte formation |
Reed-Sternberg cells | Giant cells that are characteristic of Hodgkin disease; they usually have two large nuclei and are surrounded by a halo |
agglutination | The clumping of cells or particles in the presence of specific antibodies |
bilirubin | A pigment derived from the breakdown of hemoglobin and eliminated by the liver in bile |
complement | A group of plasma enzymes that interacts with antibodies |
corpuscle | A small mass or body; a blood corpuscle is a blood cell |
hemopoietic stem cell | A primitive bone marrow cell that gives rise to all varieties of blood cells |
heparin | A substance found throughout the body that inhibits blood coagulation; an anticoagulant |
plasmin | An enzyme that dissolves clots; also called fibrinolysin |
thrombin | The enzyme derived from prothrombin that converts fibrinogen to fibrin |
agranulocytosis | A condition involving a decrease in the number of granulocytes in the blood; also called granulocytopenia |
erythrocytosis | Increase in the number of red cells in the blood; may be normal, such as to compensate for life at high altitudes, or abnormal, such as in cases of pulmonary or cardiac disease |
Fanconi syndrome | Congenital aplastic anemia that appears between birth and 10 years of age; may be hereditary or caused by damage before birth, as by a virus |
graft versus host reaction (GVHR) | An immunologic reaction of transplanted lymphocytes against tissues of the host; a common complication of bone marrow transplantation |
hairy cell leukemia | A form of leukemia in which cells have filaments making them look hairy |
hematoma | A localized collection of blood, usually clotted, caused by a break in a blood vessel |
hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN), erythoblastosis fetalis | Disease that results from incompatibility between the blood of a mother and her fetus, usually involving Rh factor; an Rh-negative mother produces antibody to an Rh-positive fetus that will destroy the red cells of an Rh-positive fetus in later births |
hemosiderosis | A condition involving the deposition of an iron-containing pigment (hemosiderin) mainly in the liver and the spleen; the pigment comes from hemoglobin released from disintegrated red blood cells |
idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) | A clotting disorder caused by destruction of platelets that usually follows a viral illness; causes petechiae and hemorrhages into the skin and mucous membranes |
infectious mononucleosis | An acute infectious disease caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV); characterized by fever, weakness, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, and atypical lymphocytes (resembling monocytes) |
lymphocytosis | An increase in the number of circulating lymphocytes |
myelodysplastic syndrome | Bone marrow dysfunction resulting in anemia and deficiency of neutrophils and platelets; may develop in time into leukemia; preleukemia |
myelofibrosis | Condition in which bone marrow is replaced with fibrous tissue |
neutropenia | A decrease in the number of neutrophils with increased susceptibility to infection; causes include drugs, irradiation, and infection; may be a side effect of treatment for malignancy |
pancytopenia | A decrease in all cells of the blood, as in aplastic anemia |
polycythemia | Any condition in which there is a relative increase in the percent of red blood cells in whole blood; may result from excessive production of red cells due to oxygen lack, as caused by high altitudes, an obstruction, heart failure, or certain poisons |
apparent polycythemia | A condition which results from concentration of the blood, as by dehydration |
polycythemia vera | A condition in which overactive bone marrow produces too many red blood cells that interfere with circulation and promote thrombosis and hemorrhage; treated by blood removal; also called erythremia and Vaquez-Osler disease |
septicemia | Presence of microorganisms in the blood |
spherocytic anemia | Hereditary anemia in which red blood cells are round instead of disk shaped and rupture (hemolyze) excessively |
thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) | An often fatal disorder in which multiple clots form in blood vessels |
von Willebrand disease | A hereditary bleeding disease caused by lack of von Willebrand factor, a substance necessary for blood clotting |
Bence Jones protein | A protein that appears in the urine of patients with multiple myeloma |
Coombs test | A test for detection of antibodies to red blood cells, such as those appearing in cases of autoimmune hemolytic anemias |
electrophoresis | Separation of particles in a liquid by application of an electrical field; used to separate components of blood |
ELISA | Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; a highly sensitive immunologic test used to diagnose HIV infection, hepatitis, and Lyme disease, among others |
monoclonal antibody | A pure antibody produced in the laboratory; used for diagnosis and treatment |
pH | A scale that measures the relative acidity or alkalinity of a solution; represents the amount of hydrogen ion in the solution |
Schilling test | Test used to determine absorption of vitamin B12, measuring excretion of radioactive B12 in the urine; used to distinguish pernicious from nutritional anemia |
seroconversion | The appearance of antibodies in the serum in response to a disease or an immunization |
Western blot assay | A very sensitive test used to detect small amounts of antibodies in the blood |
Wright stain | A commonly used blood stain |
anticoagulant | An agent that prevents or delays blood coagulation |
antihistamine | A drug that counteracts the effects of histamine and is used to treat allergic reactions |
apheresis | A procedure in which blood is withdrawn, a portion is separated and retained, and the remainder is returned to the donor; apheresis may be used as a suffix with a root meaning the fraction retained, such as plasmapheresis, leukapheresis |
autologous blood | A person's own blood; may be donated in advance of surgery and transfused if needed |
cryoprecipitate | A sediment obtained by cooling; the fraction obtained by freezing blood plasma contains clotting factors |
desensitization | Treatment of allergy by small injections of the offending allergen, causing an increase of antibody to destroy the antigen rapidly on contact |
homologous blood | Blood from animals of the same species, such as human blood used for transfusion from one person to another; blood used for transfusions must be compatible with the recipient's blood |
immunosuppression | Depression of the immune response; may be correlated with disease but also may be induced therapeutically to prevent rejection in cases of tissue transplantation |
protease inhibitor | An anti-HIV drug that acts by inhibiting an enzyme the virus needs to multiply |
Ab | Antibody |
Ag | Antigen, also silver |
AIDS | Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome |
ALL | Acute lymphoblastic (lymphocytic) leukemia |
AML | Acute myeloblastic (myelogenous) leukemia |
APC | Antigen-presenting cell |
APTT | Activated partial thromboplastin time |
BT | Bleeding time |
CBC | Complete blood count |
CGL | Chronic granulocytic leukemia |
CLL | Chronic lymphocytic leukemia |
CML | Chronic myelogenous leukemia |
crit | Hematocrit |
DIC | Disseminated intravascular coagulation |
Diff | Differential count |
EBV | Epstein-Barr virus |
ELISA | Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay |
EPO, EP | Erythropoietin |
ESR | Erythrocyte sedimentation rate |
FFP | Fresh frozen plasma |
Hb, HgB | Hemoglobin |
Hct, Ht | Hematocrit |
HDN | Hemolytic disease of the newborn |
HIV | Human immunodeficiency virus |
IF | Intrinsic factor |
Ig | Immunoglobulin |
ITP | Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura |
lytes | Electrolytes |
MCH | Mean corpuscular hemoglobin |
MCHC | Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration |
mcL | Microliter |
mcm | Micrometer |
MCV | Mean corpuscular volume |
MDS | Myelodysplastic syndrome |
mEq | Milliequivalent |
NHL | Non-Hodgkin lymphoma |
PCV | Packed cell volume |
pH | Scale for measuring hydrogen ion concentration (acidity or alkalinity) |
Ph | Philadelphia chromosome |
PMN | Polymorphonuclear (neutrophil) |
poly, polymorph, seg | Neutrophil |
PT | Prothrombin time; pro time |
PTT | Partial thromboplastin time |
RBC | Red blood cell; red blood (cell) count |
SLE | Systemic lupus erythematosus |
T(C)T | Thrombin (clotting) time |
TTP | Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura |
vWF | von Willebrand factor |
WBC | White blood cell; white blood (cell) count |