VIRTUAL PATHOLOGY LAB

1. In what ways do normal red and white blood cells differ?
• Red and white blood cells differ in that 1) Red blood cells appear normal, without blue dotted nuclei like white blood cells, 2) Our bodies carry between 500-1000 more red blood cells than white blood cells, 3) There are different types of white blood cells whereas only one type of red blood cells, 4) Red blood cells are stagnant whereas white blood cells leave the bloodstream to right disease.
2. Which type of white blood cell would you expect to be most common in a normal blood smear?
• The most common white blood cell to appear in a normal blood smear is neutrophils (70% of all white blood cells are neutrophils cells). 
3. A differential count of white blood cells from a patient gave the absolute number of lymphocytes as 8000 per mm3 and the total number of white blood cells as 12,000 per mm3. Calculate the percentage of lymphocytes in this sample of white blood cells. Is this a normal or abnormal percentage? Explain your answer.
• If you divide 8000 per mm3 lymphocytes by 12,000 per mm3, you get approximately 67% which is approximately 40-50% higher than the average (20-30%) which is abnormal. 
4. Describe the difference between a communicable disease and an inherited disease. Use examples you have studied in this exploration to support your description.
• A communicable disease is transmitted from one individual to another whereas an inherited disease is transmitted genetically.  One example of a communicable disease is mononucleosis.  One example of an inherited disease can be Type 2 Diabetes.
5. Why are white blood cells in a stained blood smear usually counted at low power under a microscope? Explain your answer. 
• White blood cells are usually counted at low power under a microscope because they are less than red blood cells and harder to find. 
6. Why is the presence of a larger than normal number of neutrophils indicative of an infection? Explain your answer.
• Neutrophils are the first white blood cells to present themselves upon infection which is why the presence would indicative an infection.  
7. Why would you not expect to see tissue macrophages in a blood smear? Explain your answer.
• Macrophages are generally found in body tissue which is why you would not expect to see them in a blood smear. 

 14 YEAR OLD. BACTERIAL OR VIRAL INFECTION.

35 YEAR OLD. PERNICIOUS AMENIA. 

 17 YEAR OLD. NORMAL BLOOD SMEAR. 

Patients	Symptoms	Slide Description	Diagnosis
1. 14 year old boy with flu-like symptoms	Flu-like symtoms	The Blood smear shows an elevated white blood cell count with mainly neutrophils. This suggests inflammation or infection. The red blood cells in the background appear normal.	Bacterial or Viral Infection
2. A 35 year old female.	Loss of appetite, bleeding gums, diarrhea and fatigue. Also reported tingling and numbness in her hands and feet.	Has many large red blood cells and only one white blood cell.	Pernicious anemia
3. A 17 year old male.	Back pain after a long hike in the mountains.	Normal red and white blood cell distribution.	Normal blood smear