Red Blood Cells (RBCs) are the oxygen carriers in the human body. The hemoglobin that it contains carries the oxygen and gives the red color to the blood. However, if these RBCs become very low and decrease below the accepted level, it has very severe and grave effects.
Causes of low RBC Count
The most common cause of a low RBC count is chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is used to tackle the disease of cancer. However, chemotherapy too has its side-effects. One of the most important side-effects of chemotherapy includes low RBC count. Due to the chemotherapy, a large number of blood cells get destroyed during the process. Thus, RBCs which are the largest in number among all the blood cells get destroyed the most.
White blood cell scan is basically a test that is used to detect infections and inflammation. It engages radioactively labeling some of the patients of white blood cells and then taking images of their passage through the body. It also comprises of information about abnormal cell structure and the presence of immature cells. There are various types of white blood cells also known as leukocytes that normally appear in the blood. The differential determines the relative percentages of the different types of cells in the blood, notes any abnormal appearance of the cells, and the presence of any irregular immature cells.
Connection between HIV and WBC:
Most of the HIV and the WBC syndrome follow the route of blood transfusion, mother to foetus, multiple partners even seen through homosexuals. The HIV stands for the Human Immuno Virus that affects the T-lymphocytes of the body and retard the immunity against the virus. The T -lymphocytes produces the antigens against the foreign bodies that are called the cell-mediated immunity. The normal Cd4 count is somewhere around 500 to 1500 cells per cubic millimeter. A normal T-cell ratio is 0.9 to 0.6. This is around 32% to 68% of the body lymphocytes. Majority of the HIV positive have The T-cells count below 350.
An overview:
The normal volumes of the count vary according to the age, sex, and elevation above sea level and the type of blood group. For men it is 4.6 -6.2 millions RBCs in per microlitre, for women it is 4.4–5.4 millions per micro liter. For the children it is 4.6 to 4.8 million RBCs per micro liter. Red blood corpuscles are the carriers of the oxygen content in the blood. This increse refers to polycythemia. This leads to another danger of the blood cells clumping together and blocking the flow of blood in the capillaries. The important checks should be on the blood screens, creatine standards, blood pressure information and anemic cases. DNA testing is also helpful to prevent any form of fatality later.
There are two types of blood cells present in a human body. They are the red blood cells and the white blood cells. The red blood cells are the most common cells present in the body and are circular and fairly uniform in size. The white blood cells are also circular in shape but they are colorless and different in functioning than the red cells.
Structure of Red Blood Cells: -
They are called as the antibodies that actually form a human immune system. Commonly known as Leukocytes or white cells or white corpuscle, the white blood cells are a group of several cell types that occur in bloodstream and are essential for proper functioning of the immune system. Some of these white blood cells act as scavengers by engulfing foreign particles and destroying. Others produce antibodies or destroy dead cells. These blood cells are normally produced in the bone marrow.
Low WBC count
The life span of a R.B.C in the blood stream is 120 days. The red blood cells lack a nucleus thus further production of any new cellular component is not possible. The production of R.B.C. requires four days. The factors affecting the stimulation of the R.B.C. production are hemorrhage, damage to bone marrow, exposure to high altitude, exercise, hemolytic diseases, lower hemoglobin levels and certain practices like the red blood doping observed in sports also causes increase in the red blood count. This increases the hemoglobin and the red blood cell content by around twenty percent (20%).
Stages involved in its production:
The circulatory fluid in higher vertebrates is called 'blood' whereas in the lower ones it is called 'hemolymph'. An average adults body has five liters of blood. The blood that flows through the whole body with the help of arteries and veins is called 'whole blood'. The elastic tissue called blood has plasma and the hematic cells. The hematic cells are classified as follows– it has erythrocytes, platelets, leucocytes and granulocytes and agranulocytes. The granulocytes have neutrophills, eosinophills, basopjills and lymphoid cells. The agranulocytes are lymphocytes and monocytes. The red blood cells in the peripheral blood are generally uniform in its size. The platelets appear an as small-bluish purple discs. The 'Complete Blood Count' (CBC) test is the calibration of the cellular elements of the blood. About 7 to 8% of the body weight consists of blood. The normal concentrations ranges from 130,000 to 450,000 per micron liter.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are unspecialized cells in the human body. They have two important characteristics that distinguish them from other cells in the body. They can replenish their numbers for long periods through cell division. And after receiving certain chemical signals, they can differentiate or transform into specialized cells with specific functions such as a heart cell or nerve cell.
What is stem cell therapy?
Basic structure of a cell: -
The cell is a basic microscopic unit of our body. Visible only by a microscope, various parts of the cell can be seen and analyzed. A cell consists of basic elements like nucleus, cytoplasm, cytoplasmic inclusions and these elements are covered by a cell membrane. The nucleus contains a DNA that controls all the cell functions and allows it to respond to the environment. The cytoplasm that surrounds the nucleus contains small structures that make proteins, structures that supply the cell's energy, molecules that transport energy, chemical messengers, and many other functional elements, as well as storehouses of enzymes and other substances. The cell membrane controls the flow of substances in and out of the cell. It also contains the molecules called antigens that are specific to the cell and the person.
In human vertebrates, the RBC is with out a nucleus. It is only present in certain species of camel. Thus the replication of the RBC is not possible due to lack of nucleus. The nucleated Red Blood Cell contains Basilophilic stippling in its center. This is the indication for the toxic injury of the bone marrow. This may also be due to megloblastic anemia. These appear in irregular shapes and are similar to 'helmet cells'. This is peculiar for disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC). The peripheral blood shows presence of large bluish Reticulocytes. If the smaller red blood cells lack central pallor spherocytes then the patient is suffering with autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Generally the count of these reticulocytes is reduced to twenty percent. The individual gains a certain amount of an indirect hyperbilirubinemia. The peripheral blood appears like tear drop cells, this may lead to myrofibrosis. This RBC center may become home to Howell-Jolly bodies that are the nuclear chromatin remnants. These may also occur in infants due to smoking habits of the pregnant mothers
White Blood Cells (WBCs) are extremely crucial in the human body. They play a fundamental role in the normal well being of the human body. It is necessary to have a specific WBC count for an individual to remain healthy. However, a minor change in the WBC count can have disastrous effects, the most prominent effect being that of cancer.
Cancer Due to WBCs
The human body is a complex structure made up of several major and minor components. Apart from the major organs like the heart, the brain, the kidneys and several others, even the minute cells, arteries and veins play a significant role in the smooth functioning of the body. Cells especially perform a fundamental role in maintaining the health of the individual. An imbalance in the cells can cause major health disorders.
Effects of Low White Blood Cell Count
The stem cells have the totipotent tendency. Thus they define the properties of meristematic tissue. The umbilical cord blood is human blood from the placenta and umbilical cord that is rich in haemopoeitic stem cells. The umbilical cord is the narrow tube line structure that connects the developing baby or the fetus to the placenta. This is rightly called the baby's lifeline. The versatility and the availability of the umbilical cord cells make them the potent resource for the transplant therapies. The cord blood stem cell is more proliferating and higher chances of compatibility than the bone marrow transplants.
White blood cell is one of the components of blood or plasma. Blood is a circulating tissue. It is responsible in carrying nutrients and other vital elements to the different body tissues. Along with white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets compose blood. However, White blood cells are bigger than red blood cells and are normally fewer in number.
White blood cells
White blood cell (WBCs) is one of the components of blood or plasma. These cells are also known as leukocytes. The white blood cells are produced in the bone marrow of large bones. Generally, each drop of blood contains approximately 7000 to 25000 white blood cells.
Types of white blood cells
White blood cells are mainly of five types; neutrophils (40% – 75%), eosinophils (5%), basophils (0.5%), lymphocytes (20% – 50%) and monocytes (1% – 5%). Out of these, netrophils, eosinophils and basophils are granulocytes. Where as, lymphocytes and monocytes are agranulocytes. Granulocytes are those WBCs which have granules in their matrix and which get stained. On the other hand, agranulocytes are those which do not have granules in their matrix and which do not get stained.
Red blood cells are the most common blood cells present in the human body. They perform the function of delivering oxygen from the lungs to the different body tissues and vice-versa. Most of the vertebrae contain red blood cells. Red blood cells or RBCs are also known as erythrocytes.
Composition of RBCs
The WBC's as they are commonly known are also called as Leukocytes or white cells or white corpuscle. Essential for the proper functioning of the immune system, they are found in the blood stream of our body. Some white blood cells act as scavengers by engulfing foreign particles and destroying them. Others produce antibodies or destroy dead cells. Normally produced in the bone marrow, these cells are also known as the antibodies.
Count of WBC's
Blood is a circulating tissue composed of fluid plasma and cells. It carries nourishment and oxygen to the various tissues and takes away carbon dioxide and wastes. Whole blood is a mixture of blood cells and plasma. The blood cells include erythrocytes (red blood cells), leucocytes (white blood cells) and platelets (thrombocytes).
There are various diseases infecting the blood cells. Blood cell cancer is one of the most dangerous of the kind. Diseases of the blood affect the way he body makes blood and provides immunity from other diseases.
Blood Cell Cancer
The major forms of blood cancer are Lymphoma, Leukemia and Multiple Myeloma.
What are red blood cells?
Red blood cells are those which carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. They also carry carbon dioxide back to the lungs. So it can be exhaled. If the RBC count is low the body may not be getting the oxygen it needs. If the count is too high, there is a risk that the red blood cells will clump together and block tiny blood vessels. The body contains more of red blood cells than any other type of cell and each red blood cell has a life span of about 4 months. Each day, the body produces new red blood cells to replace those that die or are lost from the body.
