Components/Functions of Blood

Blood Facts

• 4.5/5.5x more viscous then water - crucial to functioning of the heart

• connective tissue

• 4-5l in women, 5-6l in men

• artificial substitute has not been found

• pH of 7.35-7.45

• blood in arteries has brighter red → More o2

• temp is 38

• veins look blue - blue light is absorbed less and reflected

3 main functions of blood

• transport

• regulation

• protection

Transportation

• gases - o2 in oxyhaemoglobin and dissolved in plasma and co2

• nutrients - from hepatic portal vein has to take them to liver

• Waste substances - to be detoxified by the liver and excreted by kidneys

• heat - distributes heat from chemical reactions throughout the body

• hormones - transports hormones produced in the endocrine system to their target organs

Regulation

• contains regulatory hormones from endocrine system

• salts and plasma proteins maintain water-salt balance

• regulate pH by interacting w acids and bases (gas exchange p3)

• regulate temperature by distributing heat produced from chemical reactions

  • vasodilation/vasoconstriction of blood vessels

Protection

• contain white blood cells which disarm infections

  • engulf

  • antibodies which incapacitate pathogens making them subject to destruction by white blood cells

• prevent blood loss through blood clotting

• thrombocytes form a plug in damaged area

• fibrinogen forms fibrin with completes the platelet plug/clot

blood components

• made of 55% plasma 45% formed elements

  • leukocytes

  • erythrocytes

  • thrombocytes (not cells, tiny fragments of bone marrow)

Division of Leukocytes

• granulocytes → basinophils, neutrophils, eosionophils

• Agranulocytes → monocytes and lymphocytes

Separating formed elements

• by centrifuge - whole blood is spun for a few mins (thing settle according to density)

• erythrocytes - bottom layer, 45% of volume referred to as haematocrit

• leukocytes and thrombocytes narrow cream-colored coat - buffy coat

• plasma - pale yellow 55% of volume

What is haematocrit

• % by volume of rbcs in blood

% of formed elements in the blood

• 4.8% platelets

• 95.1% rbc

• 0.1% wbc →

  • neutrophils (Most common

  • lymphocytes (2nd most common

  • monocytes

  • eosinophils

  • basophils

% of formed elements in plasma

• electrolytes

• water 92%

• wates

• nutrients

• vitamins

• hormones

• gases → n2,o2 and co2

• proteins

  • albumin

  • globulin

  • fibrinogen