During successful resuscitation, a 68-year-old

female patient suffered fractures of several ribs. The extracellular matrix of

the hyaline cartilage, which connects the bony part of the rib to the sternum,

calcifies in older age (is encrusted with calcium salts). This makes the

cartilage less elastic and even brittle, making it more susceptible to

fractures. Which of the sulfated glycosaminoglycans is most abundant in the

extracellular matrix of cartilage?

A 40-year-old female patient presents with mild

anemia and reticulocytosis (increased number of reticulocytes in the blood),

which worsens intermittently. In addition, splenomegaly and icterus (yellow

discoloration of the sclera and mucous membranes) are present during physical

examination. A blood smear was performed for these non-specific symptoms and it

was evident by looking at it that some of the erythrocytes lacked central

pallor. The diagnosis is hereditary spherocytosis, a genetic disease caused by

a defect in the gene for the structural proteins of the erythrocyte

cytoskeleton and membrane. The surface of the erythrocyte is reduced relative

to its internal volume, causing a change in shape from biconcave to

spherical. What are the names of the basic structural proteins of the

erythrocyte membrane cytoskeleton?

The 69-year-old man's condition has deteriorated

greatly in the last few days. He feels very tired, faint, and weak. For the

third day, he still has a fever that is not responding to medication, but he

has no other symptoms of infection. He has developed small petechiae (spotty

bleeding) on his limbs and has had epistaxis (nosebleeds) several times. He is

now coming to the doctor because these symptoms are compounded by shortness of

breath and non-specific neurological symptoms. The GP immediately sends the

patient to the hospital, where the results of the blood count suggest a lot

about the patient's diagnosis. The patient has anaemia, thrombocytopenia and

leukopenia, but immature forms of white blood cells, called blasts, are present

in the blood. It is very likely that this patient has some form of acute

leukaemia. However, red bone marrow sampling is necessary to confirm and

establish a specific diagnosis. In which bones in adulthood does red bone marrow

remain and is it therefore possible to perform the necessary sampling from

them?

A student is reviewing formed blood elements before her exam. She has pictures of the following ones. Picture of which leukocyte does she need to get to learn a complete set of leukocytes?