Blood Properties, Plasma, and Erythrocytes Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering blood properties, composition, plasma proteins, erythrocyte physiology, and hemoglobin molecular structure based on the lecture notes.

Blood Volume

The total volume of blood in the vascular system, representing about $8\%$ of body weight with an average of $5\,\text{liters}$ in women and $5.5\,\text{liters}$ in men.

Specific Gravity of Whole Blood

The relative density of whole blood, which is equal to $1.060$ (compared to $1.030$ for plasma and $1.090$ for blood cells).

Blood Viscosity

The thickness and resistance to flow of whole blood, which is $5\text{ times}$ that of water, while plasma viscosity is $2\text{ times}$ that of water.

Plasma

The fluid portion of blood representing $55\%$ of total blood volume, composed of $90\%$ water, $6\%\text{ to }8\%$ plasma proteins, $1\%$ inorganic constituents, and $2\%$ nutrients, wastes, gases, and hormones.

Serum

The fluid remaining after whole blood clots and the clot is removed, having the same composition as plasma except that fibrinogen and clotting factors II, V, and VIII are removed.

Colloid Osmotic Pressure

An osmotic pressure of $25\,\text{mmHg}$ exerted by plasma proteins (mainly albumin) that prevents fluid from exiting narrow capillary pores.

Albumin

A plasma protein with a concentration of $4\text{--}4.5\,\text{g/dl}$ and molecular weight of $70000$, primarily responsible for effective colloid osmotic pressure.

Globulin

A plasma protein fraction present at $2.5\,\text{g/dl}$, divided into $\alpha_1$, $\alpha_2$, $\beta_1$, $\beta_2$, and $\gamma$ globulins.

Albumin/Globulin (A/G) Ratio

The ratio of albumin concentration to globulin concentration in plasma, normally ranging from $1.2\text{ to }1.6$.

Fibrinogen

A plasma protein with a normal concentration of $0.3\,\text{g/dl}$ involved in blood clotting and maintaining peripheral resistance and diastolic blood pressure.

Hypoproteinemia

A condition characterized by reduced plasma protein levels, occurring in prolonged starvation, liver disease, nephrosis, or congenital absence of plasma protein fractions.

RBC Life Span

The duration red blood cells remain functional in circulation, averaging $120\,\text{days}$.

RBC Count

The average number of erythrocytes in blood, equal to $5\,\text{million/mm}^3$ ($\mu\text{L}$), with ranges of $4.5\text{--}5.5\,\text{million/mm}^3$ in men and $3.8\text{--}4.8\,\text{million/mm}^3$ in women.

Hemoglobin Content

The red pigment making up $34\%$ of red blood cell mass, present at average concentrations of $13\text{--}17\,\text{g/dl}$ in men and $12\text{--}15\,\text{g/dl}$ in women.

RBC Membrane Plasticity

The flexible nature of the biconcave erythrocyte membrane that allows an $8\,\mu\text{m}$ diameter cell to deform and squeeze through capillaries as narrow as $3\,\mu\text{m}$ without rupture.

HbA

Normal adult hemoglobin composed of two $\alpha$ subunits and two $\beta$ subunits ($\alpha_2 \beta_2$).

HbF

Fetal hemoglobin composed of $\alpha_2 \gamma_2$ structure, which possesses a higher oxygen affinity than HbA to facilitate oxygen transport across the placenta.

Myoglobin (Mb)

A monomeric protein consisting of $153\,\text{amino acids}$ with $8\,\alpha\text{-helices}$ and a single heme group.

Hemoglobin Subunits Secondary Structure

Structural composition containing $7\,\alpha\text{-helices}$ in the $\alpha$ subunit and $8\,\alpha\text{-helices}$ in the $\beta$ subunit.