Chapter 18 - Blood

What are the basic components of blood? What layers are formed during centrifugation and what are in each? What is the hematocrit?

Three layers are formed: plasma layer, buffy coat layer, and a layer containing erythrocytes. The three components are plasma, leukocytes and platelets, and erythrocytes (RBCs). Hematocrit is the percentage of the blood volume that consists of red blood cells.

What are some molecules in blood plasma?

Approximately 9

Describe erythrocytes. What do they do? What is special about them?

Erythrocytes or red blood cells are cells that are responsible for carrying oxygen. They have no nuclei or organelles and are primarily hemoglobin. They have a biconcave shape to maximize surface area.

What are the 5 types of leukocytes? Classify them.

Granulocytes: neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils

Agranulocytes: lymphocytes and monocytes

Describe platelets

Also called thrombocytes, they are cell fragments formed from broken off pieces of plasma membranes. They function in the clotting of blood

Compare red vs yellow bone marrow

Red bone marrow actively generates bone marrow and is present in all bones at birth, but in adults only present in the axial skeleton, girdles, and proximal epiphyses of humerus and femur.

Yellow marrow is dormant, contains fat cells, and located in the long bones of adults.