The Humble Red Blood Cell Trivia Quiz

Answer: Erythrocyte

Erythrocyte comes from the Greek erythros (red) and -cyte (cell).

Most red cells appear as flexible, bi-concave discs with a diameter of six micrometres but there are abnormal cell shapes and sizes.

Answer: Echinocytes

Echinocyte is from the Greek word echinos, meaning 'sea urchin'. They are also known as Burr cells. They are predominantly the red cell shape abnormality in human burn victims as the red cell is dehydrated.

Answer: Target cells

A target cell (codocyte), as the name implies, looks like an archery target with a bullseye. It has an area of increased staining which appears in the middle of the area of central pallor. They may also be thinner than normal red cells.

Answer: True

Rouleaux can be caused by abnormal or excessive proteins in blood that can reduce the normal space between the red cells. It depends on both the nature of the red cell and the composition of plasma.

Rouleaux can occur during pregnancy due to infection or anemia and also in multiple myeloma which is a rare type of cancer.

Answer: Polycythemia

Polycythemia is an increase in the total red blood cell mass of the blood which can cause sluggish blood flow. The standard treatment is to decrease the number of red cells on a regular basis by therapeutic phlebotomy. This is the same procedure as giving blood for a normal blood donation.

By removing the excess red blood cells on a regular basis, there is a decreased chance of stroke or heart attack in the individual which otherwise could occur due to the extra viscosity of the blood flowing through the heart and blood vessels.

Answer: False

Beta thalassemia, also called Cooley's anemia, occurs in individuals who inherit two defective genes, one from each parent, that affect the hemoglobin molecule. It can occur in most ethnic groups but the prevalence in parts of Greece and Italy can be as high as 20%.

There is a similar prevalence in Cyprus among both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. In India and other parts of South-East Asia it can be as high as 10%.

Answer: 120 days

Red blood cells are formed in the bone marrow and are taken out after their life span by the spleen "the graveyard of red cells".

Answer: Karl Landsteiner

At the beginning of the 20th century, Karl Landsteiner (1868-1943), an Austrian pathologist, discovered the ABO blood groups. He demonstrated the presence of A, B, and O isoagglutinins in serum in 1900. In the following year he divided human blood into three groups on the basis of serological reactions of red cells with these agglutinins.

In 1904, a fourth blood group, AB, was discovered.

Answer: Over 30

There are over 30 major blood group systems, including the ABO and Rh (D), which contain antigens that can provoke severe transfusion reactions. Some of the other major blood group systems are MNS, P, Kell, Lewis, Lutheran, Duffy and Kidd.

Answer: Reticulocyte

Red cells newly released from the bone marrow are termed reticulocytes because they contain material (mitochondria and ribosomes) which appear as a network (reticulum) after staining.