Creation is a term used to describe the shape of an object or structure that has scalloped edges or the surface is irregular. Generally the term is applied to the hematological phenomenon where the red blood cells or red blood cells are subjected to a hypertonic solution. As a consequence, the cell proceeds to release the water that is inside, causing flaccidity and could cause cell destruction..
The opposite phenomenon occurs when blood cells are exposed to a hypotonic environment - where solutes are less than the inside of the cell. In this case, the cell bursts, a product of the accumulation of water and is called hemolysis..
In most cases, the observation of these hematological irregularities are a technical artifact, while in some patients they do represent signs of some pathology..
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In biology, the concept of creation is broad and can be applied to different settings. In this article we will focus on describing two of its meanings in the area of hematology: one of these is the loss of water by red blood cells and the other refers to an irregular characteristic of these cells.
The movement of water and the concentration of solutes in and out of cells are parameters that lead the processes of osmosis and diffusion, which play a vital role in biological systems. Before describing the creation phenomenon, we must understand two key concepts: diffusion and osmosis..
The movement of particles from a relatively more concentrated area to a less concentrated one - down the concentration gradient - is called diffusion. For example, when carbon dioxide diffuses to the outside of the cell or the movement of sodium ions into the cell during the nerve impulse.
Similarly, osmosis occurs when water is the substance that diffuses through a semi-permeable membrane - such as biological membranes - in the presence of a solute. In this case, the solute cannot diffuse through the membrane, but water can..
There are countless examples of osmosis. In fact, it is a phenomenon that extends to our daily lives. When we prepare a pickle of vegetables, we subject them to a very concentrated solution of salt, and they tend to lose water and take on a wrinkled appearance..
In cells, membranes behave like a semi-permeable barrier. It is an essential component, since cells need to delimit their space and they do so with this lipid and dynamic structure.
The membrane of red blood cells or erythrocytes are semi-permeable structures and the direction of water movement will depend on the internal and external concentration of this system..
There is a terminology to refer to these parameters: when the solution is more concentrated than the interior of the cell, we say that it is hypertonic regarding the latter. In contrast, when the external concentration is lower it is a solution hypotonic. If the concentration is equal in both compartments, the term is used isotonic.
Like the pickled vegetables in our previous example, when we put red blood cells in a hypertonic solution, the water tends to flow out of the cell. As a consequence of this, the cell wrinkles and loses its turgor. We call this phenomenon creation.
The analogous concept of cellular dehydration in plant structures is known as plasmolysis. During water loss, the cell wall remains intact, while the membrane wrinkles and organelles progressively accumulate in the center.
Following this logic, the reverse phenomenon of creation occurs when we subject red blood cells to a hypotonic solution. Here, water will enter the cell and could cause cell rupture, leading to hemolysis..
In many medical settings, it is necessary to give the patient intravenous infusions. For example, if an individual is unable to feed normally by oral route, it will be necessary to feed him through a nutrient solution intravenously - that is, the supply of food occurs directly to the veins.
The concentration of body fluids must be known to provide a solution of equal concentration (isotonic), to avoid creation or hemolysis.
The second meaning of the term creation is used to describe the peculiar characteristic of red blood cells to develop numerous extensions in regular and short patterns throughout their surface. When these cells present this condition, they resemble a sea urchin or a porcupine, which is why the phenomenon is also called echinocytosis.
Creation in erythrocytes was initially evidenced by Eric Ponder, who describes it as a phenomenon of transformation of the disc into a sphere with multiple projections..
There are multiple causes that can explain the phenomenon of creation in erythrocytes. In some blood films it is common to observe crenated cells, not only in individuals with special hematological conditions, they also appear in healthy individuals.
Creation is usually a technical artifact, the product of a prolonged rest of the sample overnight before performing the procedure required to observe the blood in the laboratory..
They also usually appear when erythrocytes are separated from plasma and suspended in a saline solution at 9 g / l. In the same way, the presence of fats on the slide on which the sample is deposited causes the observation of crenated cells..
The use of certain chemical compounds also leads to cell creation. The use of EDTA has been shown to produce a marked creation pattern.
In case the extension of the sample is carried out with strawberry blood, the creation represents a medical alert that must be considered..
The phenomenon is generally observed in patients with medical conditions such as uremia (accumulation of toxic products in the blood) or in individuals subjected to extracorporeal circulation. Creation has also been noted to be common in preterm infants after exchange transfusion..
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