Английский язык   ::   Беликова Елена

Monocytes are transported in the blood but are also found in connective tissues, body cavities and organs.

Outside the blood vessel wall, they are transformed into macrophages of the mononuclear phagocyte system.

Thrombopoiesis, or the formation of platelets, occurs in the red bone marrow.

Megakaryoblast is a large basophilic cell that contains a U-shaped or ovoid nucleus with prominent nucleoli. It is the last cell that undergoes mitosis.

Megakaryocytes are the largest of bone marrow cells, with diameters of 50 mm or greater. They undergo 4–5 nuclear divi sions without concomitant cytopla-smic division. As a result, the megakaryocyte is a cell with polylobulated, polyploid nucleus and abundant granules in its cytoplasm. As megakaryocyte maturation proceeds, «curtains» of platelet demarcation vesicles form in the cytoplasm. These vesicles coalesce, become tubular, and eventually form platelet demarcation membranes. These membranes fuse to give rise to the membranes of the platelets.

A single megakaryocyte can shed (i. e., produce) up to 3,500 platelets.

New words



capable – способный

spherical – сферический

indented – зазубренный

chromatin – хроматин



23. Arteries

Arteries are classified according to their size, the appearance of their tunica media, or their major function.

Large elastic conducting arteries include the aorta and its large branches. Unstained, they appear yellow due to their high con tent of elastin.

The tunica intima is composed of endothelium and a thin sub jacent connective tissue layer. An internal elastic membrane marks the boundary between the intima and media.

The tunica media is extremely thick in large arteries and con sists of circularly organized, fenestrated sheets of elastic tissue with interspersed smooth muscle cells. These cells are responsi ble for producing elastin and other extracellular matrix com ponents. The outermost elastin sheet is considered as the external elastic membrane, which marks the boundary between the media and the tunica adventitia.

The tunica adventitia is a longitudinally oriented collection of collagenous bundles and delicate elastic fibers with associated fibroblasts. Large blood vessels have their own blood supply (vasa vasorum), which consists of small vessels that branch profusely in the walls of larger arteries and veins.