The Cell
Which cellular organelle functions as the "powerhouse of the cell" by producing ATP through cellular respiration?
Mitochondria
What type of solution causes a red blood cell to shrink (crenate) due to water leaving the cell?
Hypertonic
Which cellular transport mechanism moves water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to high solute concentration?
Osmosis
When a tube of anti-coagulated blood is centrifuged, what forms the thin middle layer known as the "buffy coat"?
White blood cells and platelets
The iron-containing protein component of red blood cells that reversibly binds oxygen is:
Hemoglobin
The primary function of the cell membrane is best described as:
Acting as a selectively permeable barrier controlling entry and exit
What percentage of whole blood is typically composed of liquid plasma?
55%
What is the medical term for the process of blood cell production occurring in the red bone marrow?
Hematopoiesis
What key feature distinguishes serum from plasma?
Serum lacks clotting factors (like fibrinogen) because the blood has clotted
What occurs during hemolysis, a common specimen collection error during phlebotomy?
Red blood cells rupture, releasing hemoglobin into the plasma/serum
Which organelle contains genetic material (DNA) and acts as the control center of the cell?
Nucleus
Which formed element in the blood contains hemoglobin and carries oxygen to body tissues?
Erythrocyte
A Medical Assistant administers a 0.9% Normal Saline IV solution to a patient. Because this solution is isotonic compared to red blood cells, what will happen to the cells?
Water will move in and out at equal rates, keeping cell size unchanged.
What specialized protein on the surface of erythrocytes determines a patient's ABO blood type?
Antigen
Which additive is contained in a standard Lavender-top tube used for a Complete Blood Count (CBC) to prevent clotting by binding calcium?
EDTA
Ribosomes are primarily responsible for which cellular process?
Protein synthesis
What is the primary function of thrombocytes (platelets) in the human body?
Initiating blood clotting (hemostasis)
These are the original , no frills cells – think of them as the studio apartments of the cell world
Prokaryotic Cells
A patient with Type O negative blood is considered a "universal donor" because their red blood cells lack:
A, B, and Rh antigens
These are the sophisticated, fully-loaded cells in your body.
EUKARYOTIC CELLS
What is the jelly-like fluid component inside the cell that surrounds and supports the organelles?
Cytoplasm
A patient's lab report shows an elevated Leukocyte count (Leukocytosis). The Medical Assistant knows this typically indicates:
Infection or inflammation
Also called the plasma membrane, this thin but mighty structure forms the outer boundary of every cell.
Cell Membrane
Which leukocyte is the most abundant type of white blood cell and serves as the primary "first responder" to bacterial infection?
Neutrophil
the cell’s packaging and shipping department
Golgi Apparatus