Definition of hematology - What it is, Meaning and Concept

hematology is called to the study of the characteristics of the blood and the organs that generate it.The concept can also refer to the specialty of medicine centered on the analysis of hematological diseases .

Hematology, in this context, deals with research, study, diagnose and treat blood and the organs responsible for the hematopoiesis (that is, the generation of blood cells).The spleen, lymph nodes and bone marrow, therefore, are part of the interest of hematology.

The hematology expert is called hematologist .He is a specialist who can treat both malignant and non-malignant diseases, working on biochemical and structural disorders of cells blood and the organs that produce them.

It is important to keep in mind that blood cells come from pluripotent stem cells found in the bone marrow.Through hematopoiesis, it develops a differentiation process that leads to the appearance of leukocytes , hematies , platelets and erythrocytes , blood cells with different qualities and specific functions.

When a disease affects blood production, it is described as hematological.Hematology can deal with anemia , leukemia and disorders of hemostasis , to name a few possibilities.

By studying blood cells, on the other hand, hematology is also developed through laboratory tests that allow you to count leukocytes, hematocrits and erythrocytes, for example Precisely, the imbalances that may exist between these blood cells, abnormalities in their proportions and their general condition can lead to different diseases.

The most important function of red blood cells, for example, is the transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide, although it fulfills several more.Leukocytes, on the other hand, are essential for the immune system .Platelets, meanwhile, make a key contribution in blood clotting.Ultimately, blood needs all cells to function properly, but these must be in certain proportions.

As mentioned in an earlier paragraph, one of the focuses of hematology is anemia , which consists of an insufficient number of hematies, a phenomenon that can arise due to several factors.On the other hand, it is a disease characterized by an excessively high production of abnormal leukocytes, which generate dangerous symptoms after replacing thrombopoiesis and erythropoiesis.

To identify these and other imbalances, hematology relies on various laboratory tests, among which the complete blood count stands out, a blood test that includes detained observation and cell count.It is important to note that without this step it is difficult to diagnose certain disorders and , therefore, the prescription of the most appropriate treatment.Some of the typical treatments of hematology are blood transfusion, bone marrow transplantation and chemotherapy.

Another procedure that is part of hematology is the determination of hemoglobin , a hemoprotein that is responsible for the following tasks, among others:

* transport dioxigene (what in everyday speech is known as oxygen ) starting from the respiratory organs and reaching the tissues;

* Take carbon dioxide in the tissues and transport it to the lungs, where it is eliminated;

* regulate the pH of the blood.

Hemoglobin is present in vertebrates and also in certain invertebrates.Its structure is quaternary, that is, it consists of four units.Given that it has a heme group in each of these subunits, It is considered to belong to the hemoprotein family.