Blood Immunology

Unit 10: Blood/Immunology Case Study Lab

What were your three diagnoses?

Case 1: Malaria

Case 2: Pernicious Anemia

Case 3: Normal Blood Smear

Journal Questions for lab

1. In what ways do normal red and white blood cells differ?

Red blood cells carry oxygen to the whole body through the blood...hence, why blood is red Whereas white blood cells, or leukocytes, are of the immune system defending the body against viruses, infections, etc.

2. Which type of white blood cell would you expect to be most common in a normal blood smear?

Neutrophils are the most common white blood cells in a normal blood smear, because neutrophils make up 60-70% of white blood cells.

3. A differential count of white blood cells from a patient gave the absolute number of lymphocytes as 8000 per mm3 and the total number of white blood cells as 12,000 per mm3. Calculate the percentage of lymphocytes in this sample of white blood cells. Is this a normal or abnormal percentage? Explain your answer.

To get the percentage of lymphocytes, you divide 8000 by 12000 & then multiply by 100. This equals about 66.67% of lymphocytes in WBC. This is also abnormal because normal values are between 20% and 40%.

4. Describe the difference between a communicable disease and an inherited disease. Use examples you have studied in this exploration to support your description.

5. Why are white blood cells in a stained blood smear usually counted at low power under a microscope? Explain your answer.

6. Why is the presence of a larger than normal number of neutrophils indicative of an infection? Explain your answer.

7. Why would you not expect to see tissue macrophages in a blood smear? Explain your answer.