Leukopenia is a medical condition characterised by a decrease in the number of white blood cells circulating in the blood, making a person more susceptible to infections.
Write down one possible symptom of leukopenia that is caused by a decrease in white blood cells.
The table below shows blood component ranges in healthy individuals without leukopenia.
| Blood component | Number per mm3\text{mm}^3mm3 |
|---|---|
| Red blood cell | 4.2 million−5.8 million4.2\text{ million} - 5.8\text{ million}4.2 million−5.8 million |
| White blood cell | 4.0 thousand−11.0 thousand4.0\text{ thousand} - 11.0\text{ thousand}4.0 thousand−11.0 thousand |
| Platelet | 150 thousand−400 thousand150\text{ thousand} - 400\text{ thousand}150 thousand−400 thousand |
A student examines a patient's blood sample under a microscope. The volume of blood under the slide is 0.015 mm3 and it contains 51 white blood cells.
Calculate the number of white blood cells per mm3\text{mm}^3mm3 of blood.
Does this blood sample provide evidence that the patient has leukopenia?
Use the table and your answer to part (b)(i) to justify your answer.
82 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Biology 2.1 Supplying the cell, covering 2.1.1 Transport across cell membranes, 2.1.2 Mitosis and the cell cycle, 2.1.3 Importance of cell differentiation, and 2.1.4 Stem cells. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.