New Methods for Red Blood Cell Research and Diagnosis


Book Description

Topic Editors Dr. Paola Bianchi and Dr. Richard Van Wijk provide consultancy to Agios Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Richard Van Wijk has research support from RR Mechatronics and Agios Pharmaceuticals.




Red Cell Membrane Transport in Health and Disease


Book Description

51 worldwide leading experts in the field of erythrocyte research contributed to this first book on transport processes in red blood cells. It explains the latest findings on the basis of well-established principles, in an accessibly structured and carefully organized compilation.




Prevention of Thalassaemias and Other Haemoglobin Disorders


Book Description

Volume 1 of the Prevention Book presents the principles of a programme for the prevention of the thalassaemia and other haemoglobin disorders, including a description of the various types of disorders requiring prenatal diagnosis, the strategies used for carrier screening, and a number of annexes listing upto date epidemiological and mutation data on thalassaemia. This book was written for use in combination with Volume 2, which describes many of the laboratory protocols in great detail.







Practical Guide to Modern Hematology Analyzers


Book Description

In recent years there has been a widespread implementation of a new generation of hematology analyzers in the laboratory. These modern cell counters have contributed significantly to our ability to automatically and precisely measure a variety of characteristics in different cell types, including leukocyte sub-classes which were previously determined only microscopically. With this revolution in the hematology laboratory, there have been enormous cost savings and there is clearly an opportunity to improve the quality of service. Here, the authors present a practical guide for the hematology laboratory professional. They review the technology used in the new devices and the integration of the analyzers into the laboratory. Performance of these counters and quality assurance strategies are also discussed, paying particular attention to the state of the art technology, its merits and the potential for future advances. At present there is no other single guide to modern hematological cell counters which focuses on laboratory practice and treats all available technologies in depth. This text, written by authors who are internationally recognized for their research in this area, will have a wide audience including laboratory directors, hematologists, pathologists, administrators, technologists and technicians involved in hematology and diagnostic testing, medical practitioners and groups handling pharmaceutical trials.




A History of Haematology


Book Description

A beautifully illustrated account of the remarkable developments within haematology, this insightful volume details the scientists and pioneers central to these advances.




Calcium signalling


Book Description

The book combines general concepts and methods to investigate calcium signalling in cells ranging from molecular biology approaches to manipulation of calcium in living cells. The focus within these methods in on the broad range of fluorescence imaging technology, in particular on optical sectioning techniques and fast image acquisition. In addition to these general guidelines there are application examples in a context beyond calcium signalling in two major fields: investigations of isolated cardiac myocytes and red blood cell related research. While the cellular cardiology section provides snapshots of certain calcium signalling aspects, the red blood cell part presents an overview from the functional identification of calcium-channels to a concept of physiological and pathophysiological relevance.







Naturally Occurring Antibodies (NAbs)


Book Description

This volume illustrates the functional properties of NAbs. Authors from pioneering groups report in their chapters on the tissue homeostatic, tissue regenerating and regulatory properties of NAbs and NAbs in pooled human IgG. Scientists interested in the regulation and modulation of components of the immune system found a whole variety of NAbs to cytokines with regulatory and protective functions and NAbs that modulate, e.g., dendritic cells, regulatory T cells, B cells and granulocytes. Considering the large plasma pools and initial difficulties in preparing IVIG that does not induce adverse effects upon infusion into recipients, this volume ends with a historical chapter on how pooled human plasma was fractionated and the IgG component pretreated for a safe intravenous application.




Corpuscles


Book Description

The shQpe of Qn erythrocyte is determined by Q delicQte equi librium of extrinsic Qnd intrinsic forces. It mQY chQnge during mQny PQtholog iCQI stQtes QS well QS du ri ng Q vQriety of ex perimentQI mQnipulQtions. Correct eVQluQtion of the fine detQi Is of the red cell shQpe thus provides i nformQtion of the g reQtest i mportQnce for the proper i nterpretQtion of the physi ology Qnd PQthophysiology of mQny Qnemic stQtes. In eXQmining red cells, the hemQtologist observes Q drop of blood spreQd on Q glQSS slide through the light microscope. This type of eXQminQtion is likely to remQin the routine tech nique of blood cytology for Q long time to come. Still, we should not forget thQt blood smeQrs Qre QrtifQcts. The smeQring flQt tens the cells completely, obliterQting mQny of their chQrQc teristics Qnd distorting others. It is therefore necessQry to conduct Q PQrQllel observQtion of cells in the I ivi ng stQte. The fundQmentQI vQlue of QII such observQtions remQins limited by the resolving power of the light microscope, which provides Q mQximum enlQrgement of one thousQnd times. To be sure, the trQnsm ission electron microscope CQn provide en IQrge ments of one mill ion times, but it IQcks penetrQti ng power, so thQt one hQS to section Q cell into five hundred slices before observi ng it. The recent Qdvent of the SCQn n i ng electron m icro scope hQS chQnged the situQtion rQd iCQlly.