Human Anatomy & Physiology
Version 8.0
Physioex Exercise 11
BLOOD ANALYSIS - Answers
Please note: I do not include the charts as you still have to do the experiments and print the data and graphs.
Also remember, many of your answers are in the text preceding each activity.
Activity 1
What is the hematocrit value of a healthy male living at sea level in Boston?
a. 48
What is the hematocrit value of a health male living at one mile elevation in Denver?
a. 55
Is there as much oxygen in the air in Denver as there is in Boston?
a. No - the air in Denver is thinner (lower percentage of oxygen)
How do your kidneys respond to a decrease in blood oxygen? (Review this section in your textbook if necessary.)
a. When the blood flowing through the kidney's is hypoxic (low oxygen level), the kidneys respond by producing a hormone, erythropoietin, which stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.
If your bone marrow is producing an elevated number of red blood cells, what happens to your hematocrit?
a. your hematocrit is elevated
What is the hematocrit value of the male with aplastic anemia?
a. 19
Would the red blood cell count for an individual with aplastic anemia be higher, lower, or the same as the red blood cell count of a healthy individual?
a. lower
What is the hematocrit value of a healthy female living in Boston?
a. 44
Explain the difference in hematocrit values obtained from a healthy female living in Boston and a female with iron-deficiency anemia.
a. The female with iron-deficiency anemia does not have as any normal sized red blood cells as the healthy female in Boston, so her hematorcrit (packed cell volume) is lower. She is not able to make adequate hemoglobin molecules to fill her red blood cells.
Activity 2
How many millimeters has the blood settled?
a. 5 mm
Did the person with sickle cell anemia show an elevated ESR?
a. no
How did the ESR for a person with iron-deficiency anemia compare to the ESR for a healthy individual?
a. the person with iron-deficiency anemia was higher than the healthy individual
Explain the ESR for sample 2, the menstruating female.
a. The menstruating female is suffering from iron-deficiency anemia, causing her red blood cells to settle.
Explain the ESRs for samples 5 and 6 (the patients suffering from myocardial infarction and angina pectoris, respectively.)
a. The patient suffering from myocardial infarction (heart attack) has an elevated ESR. But the patient with angina pectoris has a normal ESR.
Activity 3
What is the hematocrit value for the healthy male?
a. 48
What is the hematocrit value for the healthy female?
a. 44
What does the ratio of PCV to Hb tell you about the red blood cells of the female with iron-deficiency anemia?
a. She may have a normal number of red blood cells, but they do not contain adequate levels of hemoglobin molecules.
Does the male with polycythemia have a normal ratio of PCV to Hb?
a. yes - male = 20 hb/100 ml blood
Based on these results, do you think that his red blood cells contain adequate quantities of hemoglobin molecules? Why?
a. no - his red blood cells show an elevated count of hemoglobin molecules (24) - normal for men is 13.5 - 18
Does the female Olympic athlete have a normal ratio of PCV to Hb?
a. yes - 3:1
Based on these results, do you think her red blood cells contain adequate quantities of hemoglobin molecules? Why?
a. yes - her ratio is 3:1 which shows an adequate level of hemoglobin molecules.
Activity 4
If the anti-A antibody causes the blood to coagulate, which antigen would be present on the blood cells?
a. A
If a person has type AB blood, which antigens are present on the red blood cells?
a. A and B
Which antibodies are present in the plasma of a person with AB blood?
a. neither
Does a person with type O blood have A or B antigens on the red blood cells?
a. neither
Activity 5
What health problems might be in store for patient 2, based on these results?
a. can be a candidate for atherosclerosis (increased risk of cardiovascular disease)
What advice about diet and exercise would you give patient 4?
A. Lower dietary intake of cholesterol (red and organ meats, eggs, cheese) and increase aerobic exercise.
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