American Society of Hematology
High School Lecture Program
Blood Basics
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What is Blood?
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What Does Blood Do?
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Transports oxygen and nutrients to lungs and
tissues
Forms blood clots to prevent excess blood loss
Carries cells and antibodies that fight infection
Brings waste products to kidneys and liver (filter
and clean blood)
Regulates body temperature
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What are Some Common Blood Disorders?
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Anemia
Bleeding disorders
Blood cancers
Blood clots
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What is Anemia?
 Most common blood disorder
 Shortage of red blood cells in circulation
 Examples
o Iron-deficiency Anemia
• Body does not have enough iron
o Sickle Cell Anemia
• Blood flow to limbs and organs blocked
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strictly prohibited.
Sickle Cell Anemia
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Red blood cells become shaped like “C”
(sickle) and block blood flow
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Inherited disease so both parents must
have SCA or carry sickle cell trait
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Highest risk seen in people of African &
Hispanic descent
Symptoms
•Anemia
•Fatigue
•Swollen hands and feet
•Frequent pain episodes
•Stunted growth
•Vision problems
•Stroke
Treatment
•Blood transfusions
•Pain medication
•Hydroxyurea
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is
strictly prohibited.
Sickle Cell Anemia: A Patient’s Journey
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What are Bleeding Disorders?
 Blood cannot clot properly
 Types
o Hemophilia
• Caused by shortage of clotting factors in the blood
• Type A: lack clotting factor VIII
• Type B: lack clotting factor IX
o Von Willebrand Disease
• Inherited disorder caused by lack of von Willebrand
factor (protein that helps blood to clot)
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is
strictly prohibited.
Hemophilia
 Genetic defect found on the X chromosome –
found mostly in males
o Women serve as carriers so defect passed from
mother to son
Symptoms
•Easy bruising
•Bleeding gums
•Unexplained nosebleeds
•Heavy menstrual bleeding
•Prolonged or heavy bleeding
from cuts, injuries, or dental work
Treatment
•Replacement of clotting
factors from blood
transfusions or synthetic
blood factors
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is strictly
prohibited.
How Proteins Regulate Clotting
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prohibited.
What are Blood Cancers?
 Leukemia
o Cancer that causes abnormal white blood cells in
blood and bone marrow to rapidly multiply and crowd
out normal cells
 Lymphoma
o Cancer that causes abnormal immune cells to develop
in lymphatic system (distributes immune cells
throughout body)
 Myeloma
o Cancer of the plasma cells (produce infection-fighting
antibodies) that causes abnormal cells to multiply in
bone marrow
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prohibited.
What Do Cancer Cells Look Like?
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prohibited.
What are the Types of Leukemia?
Acute
Chronic
Lymphocytic
Acute lymphocytic
leukemia (ALL)
Chronic lymphocytic
leukemia (CLL)
Myeloid
Acute myeloid
leukemia (AML)
Chronic myeloid
leukemia (CML)
•Acute (progress rapidly)
•Chronic (progress slowly)
•Lymphocytic (affect lymphocytes)
•Myeloid (affects myeloid cells)
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prohibited.
ASH Teaching Slides: Blood Cells
Chronic myeloid leukemia. The blood smear shows an
increased number of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell.
Maslak, P. ASH Image Bank 2001;2001:100202. Copyright ©2001 American Society of Hematology.
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is
strictly prohibited.
CML: A Patient's Journey
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strictly prohibited.
How Does Lymphoma Develop?
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What are the Types of Lymphoma?
 Two main types caused by growth of
abnormal cells in lymphatic system
 Hodgkin lymphoma
o Involves development of Reed-Sternberg cell
(abnormal B cells)
 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
o Does not involve Reed-Sternberg cell
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is
strictly prohibited.
ASH Teaching Slides: Blood Cells
Hodgkin lymphoma. The large cells with an owl-like
appearance are called Reed-Sternberg cells and are a sign of
Hodgkin lymphoma.
Kadin, M. ASH Image Bank 2002;2002:100484. Copyright ©2002 American Society of Hematology.
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is
strictly prohibited.
Lymphoma: A Patient's Journey
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is
strictly prohibited.
What are Blood Clots?
 Formed by platelets and proteins in plasma
(liquid part of blood)
 Prevent excessive bleeding after injury and
naturally dissolve after wound has healed
 Sometimes can form inappropriately and
block flow of blood
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is
strictly prohibited.
How Proteins Regulate Clotting
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strictly prohibited.
What are Blood Clotting Disorders?
• When clots form without obvious injury or do
not dissolve naturally
• Types
o Deep-vein Thrombosis (DVT)
• Clot that forms in a major vein (commonly of the leg)
o Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
• Clot that travels to the lungs and blocks blood flow
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is strictly prohibited.
Blood Clots
 Risk factors
o Obesity
o Pregnancy
o Immobility (i.e. long
trips on plane)
Symptoms include:
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling in arms or legs
• Weakness
o Smoking
o Birth control
o Surgery implications
Treatment
• Medication that prevents clots
from forming or dissolves clots
• Surgery to remove clot
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is strictly prohibited.
How DVT Can Lead to PE
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is strictly prohibited.
Blood Clots: A Patient's Journey
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is strictly prohibited.
ASH Teaching Slides: Blood Cells
The appearance of normal circulating blood is
relatively uniform with little variation in size and
shape. Red blood cells will have an area of paleness
in the center, which is approximately one-third the
diameter of the cell.
Maslak, P. ASH Image Bank 2008;2008:8-00044. Copyright ©2008 American Society of Hematology.
ASH Teaching Slides: Blood Cells
Normal blood smear. The four larger cells shown are called
granulocytes, a type of white blood cell.
Maslak, P. ASH Image Bank 2008;2008:8-00067. Copyright ©2008 American Society of Hematology.
ASH Teaching Slides: Blood Cells
Iron-deficiency anemia is indicated by red blood cells that are
paler and of a smaller size than normal.
Schrier, S. ASH Image Bank 202;2002:100345. Copyright ©2002 American Society of Hematology.
ASH Teaching Slides: Blood Cells
Blood smear; arrows indicate sickled cells.
Schrier, S. ASH Image Bank 2001;2001:100248. Copyright ©2001 American Society of Hematology.
ASH Teaching Slides: Blood Cells
Chronic myelogenous leukemia. The blood smear shows an
increased number of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell.
Maslak, P. ASH Image Bank 2001;2001:100202. Copyright ©2001 American Society of Hematology.
ASH Teaching Slides: Blood Cells
Hairy cell leukemia. The characteristic cell of this type of
leukemia has projections uniformly distributed around
its border that give it a hairy appearance.
Maslak, P. ASH Image Bank 2007;2007:7-00011. Copyright ©2007 American Society of Hematology.
ASH Teaching Slides: Blood Cells
Hodgkin lymphoma. The large cells with an owl-like
appearance are called Reed-Sternberg cells and are a sign of
Hodgkin lymphoma.
Kadin, M. ASH Image Bank 2002;2002:100484. Copyright ©2002 American Society of Hematology.
Questions? Thank You
 To access useful student tools, visit
www.hematology.org/students
 For more information on diseases, visit ASH’s
patient website:
www.hematology.org/Patients
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YouTube Channel:
www.youtube.com/ASHwebmaster
These materials are intended for use by members in good standing of the American Society of Hematology. Other use of these materials is
strictly prohibited.