Hematology

anemia / a condition in which the red blood cell count or hemoglobin level is below normal; a condition resulting in decreased oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood

anticoagulant / a chemical or substance that prevents blood coagulation

arteriole / a small branch of an artery leading to a capillary

artery / a blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the tissues

capillary / a minute blood vessel that connects the smallest arteries to the smallest veins and serves as an oxygen exchange vessel

cardiopulmonary circulation / the system of blood vessels that circulates blood from the heart to the lungs and back to the heart

complete blood count (CBC) / a commonly performed grouping of hematological tests

deoxyhemoglobin / the hemoglobin formed when oxyhemoglobin releases oxygen to tissues

EDTA / ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; an anticoagulant commonly used in hematology

erythrocyte / red blood cell; RBC

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) / an anticoagulant commonly used in hematology

granulocyte / a white blood cell containing granules in the cytoplasm; any of the neutrophilic, eosinophilic, or basophilic leukocytes

hematology / the study of blood and the blood-forming tissues

hematopoietic stem cell / see hemopoietic stem cell

hemoglobin (Hb, Hgb) / the major functional component of red blood cells that is the oxygen-carrying molecule

hemopoiesis / the process of blood cell formation and development; hematopoiesis

hemopoietic stem cell / an undifferentiated bone marrow cell that gives rise to blood cells; also called hematopoietic stem cell

hemostasis / the process of stopping bleeding, which includes clot formation and clot dissolution

leukemia / a chronic or acute disease involving unrestrained increase in leukocytes

leukocyte / white blood cell; WBC

megakaryocyte / a large bone marrow cell from which platelets are derived

oxyhemoglobin / the form of hemoglobin that binds and transports oxygen

plasma / the liquid portion of blood in which the blood cells are suspended; the straw-colored liquid remaining after blood cells are removed from anticoagulated blood

platelet / a formed element in circulating blood that plays an important role in blood coagulation; a small disk-shaped fragment of cytoplasm derived from a megakaryocyte; a thrombocyte

red blood cell (RBC) / blood cell that transports oxygen (O2) to tissues and carbon dioxide (CO2) to the lungs; erythrocyte

stem cell / an undifferentiated cell

systemic circulation / the system of blood vessels that carries blood from the heart to the tissues and back to the heart

thrombocyte / a blood platelet

vein / a blood vessel that carries deoxygenated blood from the tissues to the heart

venule / a small vein connecting a capillary to a vein

white blood cell (WBC) / blood cell that functions in immunity; leukocyte