Blood Science

Dr Andrew Blann, FRCPath FIBMS CSci, Consultant Clinical Scientists and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Medicine, University Department of Medicine, UK; Deputy Chief Examiner in Haematology with the Institute of Biomedical Science and an Examiner in Haematology with the Royal College of Pathologists.

lood Science is a relatively new discipline which merges biochemistry, haematology, immunology, transfusion science and genetics. This bringing together of traditional disciplines requires a corresponding change in education and training for healthcare scientists and Blood Science: Principles and Pathology is written in response to this emerging need. An introduction to the subject and an overview of the techniques used in blood science are followed by a series of chapters based on groups of analytes investigated in blood - red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, followed by the constituents of plasma, including waste products, electrolytes, glucose, lipids, enzymes, hormones, nutrients, drugs, poisons and others. Each chapter is supported by learning objectives, summaries and further information, and a focus is given to chapter specific case studies with interpretation to demonstrate how laboratory data in conjunction with clinical details is utilised when investigating patients with actual or suspected disease. Finally, a separate chapter offers more detailed case reports that integrate the different aspects of blood science. Undergraduate students taking blood science modules as part of their BSc programmes in Biomedical and Healthcare Sciences will appreciate the level of integration between clinical biochemistry and haematology. In addition, this book will provide suitable initial reading for those students embarking on blood science modules on MSc programmes and will be of value to new graduates entering the profession and starting their career in blood science departments by supplementing practice-based training with the required theoretical underpinning. Blood Science is a relatively new discipline which merges biochemistry, haematology, immunology, transfusion science and genetics. This bringing together of traditional disciplines requires a corresponding change in education and training for healthcare scientists and Blood Science: Principles and Pathology is written in response to this emerging need. An introduction to the subject and an overview of the techniques used in blood science are followed by a series of chapters based on groups of analytes investigated in blood - red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, followed by the constituents of plasma, including waste products, electrolytes, glucose, lipids, enzymes, hormones, nutrients, drugs, poisons and others. Each chapter is supported by learning objectives, summaries and further information, and a focus is given to chapter specific case studies with interpretation to demonstrate how laboratory data in conjunction with clinical details is utilised when investigating patients with actual or suspected disease. Finally, a separate chapter offers more detailed case reports that integrate the different aspects of blood science. Undergraduate students taking blood science modules as part of their BSc programmes in Biomedical and Healthcare Sciences will appreciate the level of integration between clinical biochemistry and haematology. In addition, this book will provide suitable initial reading for those students embarking on blood science modules on MSc programmes and will be of value to new graduates entering the profession and starting their career in blood science departments by supplementing practice-based training with the required theoretical underpinning.
This book is approved by the Institute of Biomedical Science and written by its expert writers, many of whom work on the Institute's advisory panels.

Integrated textbook combining three subjects, haematology, clinical biochemistry and immunology to provide a one-stop text on blood science, in line with the new IBMS and NHS training structure

Suitable for blood science courses opening in many universities at senior Undergraduate level (units) and Masters level.

Preface, xiii
 
Acknowledgements, xv
 
List of Abbreviations, xvii
 
About the Companion Website, xxi
 
1 Introduction to Blood Science, 1
 
1.1 What is blood science?, 1
 
1.2 Biochemistry, 6
 
1.3 Blood transfusion, 8
 
1.4 Genetics, 10
 
1.5 Haematology, 14
 
1.6 Immunology, 17
 
1.7 The role of blood science in modern healthcare, 19
 
1.8 What this book will achieve, 22
 
Summary, 23
 
References, 23
 
Further reading, 23
 
Web sites, 23
 
2 Analytical Techniques in Blood Science, 25
 
2.1 Venepuncture, 25
 
2.2 Anticoagulants, 26
 
2.3 Sample identification and tracking, 27
 
2.4 Technical and analytical confidence, 27
 
2.5 Major techniques, 32
 
2.6 Molecular genetics, 43
 
2.7 Point of care testing, 47
 
2.8 Health and safety in the laboratory, 48
 
Summary, 49
 
Further reading, 50
 
Web sites, 50
 
3 The Physiology of the Red Blood Cell, 51
 
3.1 Introduction, 51
 
3.2 The development of blood cells, 52
 
3.3 Erythropoiesis, 56
 
3.4 The red cell membrane, 58
 
3.5 The cytoplasm of the red cell, 60
 
3.6 Oxygen transport, 66
 
3.7 Recycling the red cell, 68
 
3.8 Red cell indices in the full blood count, 69
 
3.9 Morphology of the red cell, 72
 
Summary, 74
 
Further reading, 74
 
4 The Pathology of the Red Blood Cell, 75
 
4.1 Introduction: diseases of red cells, 75
 
4.2 Anaemia resulting from attack on, or stress to, the bone marrow, 78
 
4.3 Anaemia due to deficiency, 80
 
4.4 Intrinsic defects in the red cell, 85
 
4.5 External factors acting on healthy cells, 100
 
4.6 Erythrocytosis and polycythaemia, 103
 
4.7 Molecular genetics and red cell disease, 105
 
4.8 Inclusion bodies, 105
 
4.9 Case studies, 105
 
Summary, 107
 
References, 107
 
Further reading, 107
 
5 White Blood Cells in Health and Disease, 109
 
5.1 Introduction, 109
 
5.2 Leukopoiesis, 111
 
5.3 Neutrophils, 115
 
5.4 Lymphocytes, 116
 
5.5 Monocytes, 117
 
5.6 Eosinophils, 118
 
5.7 Basophils, 119
 
5.8 Leukocytes in action, 120
 
5.9 White cells in clinical medicine, 127
 
5.10 Case studies, 132
 
Summary, 132
 
Further reading, 133
 
6 White Blood Cell Malignancy 135
 
6.1 The genetic basis of leukocyte malignancy, 135
 
6.2 Tissue techniques in haemato-oncology, 139
 
6.3 Leukaemia, 141
 
6.4 Lymphoma, 149
 
6.5 Myeloma and related conditions, 152
 
6.6 Myelofibrosis and myelodysplasia, 157
 
6.7 Case studies, 157
 
Summary, 158
 
Further reading, 159
 
Guidelines, 159
 
7 The Physiology and Pathology of Haemostasis, 161
 
7.1 The blood vessel wall, 162
 
7.2 Platelets, 163
 
7.3 The coagulation pathway, 165
 
7.4 Haemostasis as the balance between thrombus formation and removal, 168
 
7.5 The haemostasis laboratory, 171
 
7.6 The pathology of thrombosis, 173
 
Summary, 175
 
Further reading, 175
 
8 The Diagnosis and Management of Disorders of Haemostasis, 177
 
8.1 Thrombosis 1: overactive platelets and thrombocytosis, 177
 
8.2 Thrombosis 2: overactive coagulation, 181
 
8.3 Haemorrhage 1: platelet underactivity and thrombocytopenia, 193
 
8.4 Haemorrhage