Discussion:
Blood Physiology
1. Josephine is in a car accident and loses 2 out of 6 liters of blood. She gets only plasma for replacement. How long will it take for her to get her RBC count back to normal? EPO increases RBC production about 5-fold and it takes an additional 2- 3 days for reticulocytes to mature into RBCs.
2. Alice is a vegetarian with iron-deficiency anemia. What would her RBCs look like (small or large, pale or red) and why? Would the Hb/blood volume and the Hb/packed RBC numbers be high or low (explain)? If Alice starts getting enough iron, how long would it take for her RBCs to look normal?
3. Joe has extensive liver damage from years of heavy drinking. He has swelling all over his body (systemic edema) and has decreased clotting after being cut. Explain why Joe has edema and clotting explain the mechanisms that cause these problems.
4. Inflammation can increase blood flow (vasodilation) to the injured area and also can increase permeability by causing endothelial cell retraction. Explain why increased blood flow and increased permeability BOTH cause local swelling or edma.