Question

Someone in renal failure would likely have a ______ blood concentration of erythropoietin and a ____________ reticulocyte count.

A) Low; high
B) Low; low
C) High; low
D) High; high

Answer 1

A patient with renal failure would likely have a low blood concentration of erythropoietin and a low reticulocyte count, because the impaired kidneys produce less EPO, which is necessary for the production of red blood cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

In a patient with renal failure, there would likely be a low blood concentration of erythropoietin (EPO) and a low reticulocyte count. EPO is a hormone produced mainly by the kidneys and it stimulates the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. Reticulocytes are immature red blood cells, and a reticulocyte count is a measure of the rate of red blood cell production.

In renal failure, the kidneys are not functioning properly and as a result, they produce less EPO. Since EPO stimulates erythropoiesis, a deficiency in this hormone leads to reduced production of red blood cells, which in turn leads to a low reticulocyte count. This condition often results in anemia, which is a deficiency in the number or quality of red blood cells in the body.

Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is B) Low; low.