The appearance of the specimen is usually reported only if it is abnormal. Red: Blood; porphyria; occasionally urates, phenolphthalein, or dihydroxyanthraquinone (Dorbane) (laxative use) Brown: Blood (acid hematin); alkaptonuria (urine turns brownish on standing); melanin (may be brown and turn black on standing) Dark orange: Bile, pyridium (a urinary tract disinfectant) pH Normal urine pH […]
Hemoglobin consists of one heme unit (a complex of one iron atom within four protoporphyrin structures) plus one globin unit (consisting of two pairs of polypeptide chains, one pair known as alpha and the other pair called beta). The heme units are identical in each hemoglobin molecule; changes in amino acid sequence in the globin […]
Hemoglobin (Hb) contains about 70% of the body iron, and storage iron accounts for most of the remainder. One gram of Hb contains 3.4 mg of iron, and 1 ml of packed red blood cells (RBCs) contains about 1 mg of iron. Iron intake averages about 10 mg/day, of which about 10% is absorbed. Iron […]
The major emphasis in hematology is placed on the three cellular elements of the blood—red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets. Each of these elements is discussed subsequently in separate chapters, beginning with disorders of the RBCs. The noncellular elements of the blood (fluid, electrolytes, plasma proteins, and other constituents) are included […]
