Blood

Transports

  • Nutrients,

  • oxygen and CO2

  • Enzymes and hormones

  • Ions

  • Metabolic waste to kidneys

  • Leukocytes to aid fighting infections agents

    Other functions

  • Stabilizing body temperature

  • Prevent loss of body fluids via clotting process

  • Stabilizing of pH and electrolyte balance

Blood Components

Plasma

  • Liquid matrix of blood

Formed Elements

  • Erythrocytes (RBC);transport oxygen and CO2

  • Leukocytes(WBC): function in immune system

  • Platelets: blood clotting

Whole blood consists of:

  • Plasma

  • Erythrocytes

  • Leuckoctyes

  • Platelets

Whole blood ca fractionate to form

  • Plasma

  • Packed cells

  • Platelets

    • Packed cells consists of

      • Erythrocytes 99%

      • Leukocytes 0.1%

  • Whole blood is about 7% of body weight

    • Males: 4-6 liters

    • Female: 4-5 liters

    • Hypovolemic: low blood volume

    • Normovolemic: normal blood volume

    • Hypervolemic: excessive blood volumes

    • pH: 7.35 - 7.45

Plasma

  • Makes up 55% of volume of whole blood

  • Consists of:

    • 92% water

    • 7 protines

      • Albumin,globulins, fibrinogen, regulatory protines

    • 1% other solutes

      • Electrolytes, organic nutrients, organic waste

Plasma vs Interstitial fluid

  • Dissolved oxygen concentration

    • Higher in plasma than interstitial fluid

  • Carbon Dioxide concentration

    • Lower in plasma than interstitial fluid

  • Dissolved protein concentration

    • Higher in plasma, super low in interstitial fluid

Plasma proteins

  • Produced mainly by liver

  • Make 7% of plasma

  • 3 classes

    • Albumins 60%

      • Smallest

      • Transport fatty acids, thyroid hormone, some steroid hormones

    • Globulins 35%

      • 2 major types

        • Immunoglobulins or antibodies: attach pathogens

        • Transport globulins:transport ions and hormones

    • Fibrinogen 4%

      • Involved in blood clotting process

      • Make fibrin to form clot

      • Blood with not clotting proteins called serum

Formed elements: Red Blood Cells

  • Hematocrit readings

    • Also called packed cell volume (PCV)

    • Also called volume of packed red cells (VPRC)

  • Percentage of whole blood occupied by formed elements

    • Males: 45% (40-54%)

    • Females: 42% (37-47%)

  • One microliter of blood has million of RBCs

    • Male: 5.4 million per cubic millimeter

    • Female: 4.8 million per cubic millimeter

  • RBCs lack organelles and nucleus and contains hemoglobin