BLOOD
MARIBEL SANTOS ADDAUAN RN, PhD
Why do you think blood is
unique?
Blood is unique; it is the only fluid tissue in the
body.
Functions of the Blood
1. Carrier of gases, nutrients, and waste products
• Oxygen enters blood in the lungs and is transported to
cells.
• Carbon dioxide, produced by cells, is transported in the
blood to the lungs, from which it is expelled.
• Ingested nutrients, ions, and water are carried by the
blood from the digestive tract to cells, and the waste
products of the cells are moved to the kidneys for
elimination.
Functions of the Blood
[Link] formation
•Clotting proteins help stem blood loss when
a blood vessel is injured.
Functions of the Blood
[Link] of processed molecules -Most
substances are produced in one part of the body
and transported in the blood to another part.
4. Protection against foreign substances-
Antibodies help protect the body from pathogens.
Functions of the Blood
[Link] of regulatory molecules-Various hormones and enzymes
that regulate body processes are carried from one part of the body to
another within the blood.
6. Maintenance of body temperature- Warm blood is transported
from the inside to the surface of the body, where heat is released
from the blood.
7. pH and osmosis regulation- Albumin is also an important blood
buffer and contributes to the osmotic pressure of blood, which acts
to keep water in the blood stream.
Physical Characteristics and Volume
• Blood is a sticky, opaque fluid with a characteristic metallic
taste.
• Color. Depending on the amount of oxygen it is carrying,
the color of blood varies from scarlet (oxygen-rich) to a
dull red (oxygen-poor).
• Weight. Blood is heavier than water and about five times
thicker, or more viscous, largely because of its formed
elements.
• pH. Blood is slightly alkaline, with a pH between 7.35 and
7.45.
Components of Blood
[Link] - which is approximately 90 percent
water
• is the liquid part of the blood.
• 55% of total blood; largest component
• Pale, yellow liquid portion that
sorrounds cells
Plasma
•Pale yellow fluid that consist of 91% water, 7%
protein and 2% other components such as ions,
nutrients, gases, waste products and regulatory
substances
•Contain dissolve protein
1. Albumin
2. Globulins
Formed Elements – 45% of total blood
cell and cell fragments
rbc. Wbc and platelets
1. Erythrocytes
• red blood cells
• function primarily to carry oxygen in blood to all cells of
the body.
•produced inside the bone cavities called bone
marrow
•contain iron containing CHON called “Hemoglobin”
that carries oxygen
• blood gets its red color when it picks up oxygen
from the lungs
• do the transporting of gases
• has 120 days life span, everyday the body produces
RBC to replace those that died
• Anucleate -RBCs differ from other blood cells because
they are anucleate, that is, they lack a nucleus; they
also contain a very few organelles.
• Microscopic appearance - Erythrocytes are small,
flexible cells shaped like biconcave discs- flattened
discs with depressed centers on both sides; they look
like miniature doughnuts when viewed with a
microscope.
•Number of RBCs - There are normally about 5
million cells per cubic millimeter of blood
•Normal blood. Clinically, normal blood
contains 12-18 grams of hemoglobin per 100
milliliters (ml); the hemoglobin content is slightly
higher in men (13-18 g/dl) than in women (12-16
g/dl).
Hemoglobin
•Main component of erythrocytes
•Transports O2
•Each globin protein is attached to a heme
molecule
•Each heme contains one iron atom
•O2 binds to iron
Oxyhemoglobin
•hemoglobin with an O2 attached
Function
• Transport oxygen from the lungs to the various tissues
of the body
• Help transport carbon dioxide from the tissues to the
lungs
• Oxygen enters red blood and binds to hemoglobin
• [Link]- protein chain
• [Link]- red pigmented module
2. Leukocytes
• WBC
• Spherical lack of hemoglobin
• protects the body from foreign body and against infectious
• diseases; remove dead cells and debris by phagocytosis
• divided into multi-protein cells in the bone marrow called the
hematopoietic stem cells
• lymphocytes – 20 – 25%
• neutrophil – 60 – 70%
• basophil – 0.5 – 1.0%
• eosinophil – 2 – 4%
• monocytes/macrophages – 3 – 8%
•Number of WBCs. On average, there are
4,000 to 11,000 WBC/mm3 , and they
account for less than 1 percent of total body
volume.
•White blood cells are able to slip into and out
of the blood vessels- a process called
diapedesis.
Types of Leukocytes
I. Granulocytes: contain specific granules and
include neutrophils, eosinophils, and
basophils
a. Neutrophils: most common
•remain in blood for 10 to 12 hours then
move to tissues
•phagocytes
b. Eosinophils: reduce
inflammation
•destroy parasites
c. Basophils: least common
•release histamine and
heparin
Agranulocytes: no specific granules
a. Monocytes: largest sized white blood cells
•produce macrophages
b. Lymphocytes: immune response
•several different types
•lead to production of antibodies
Platelets (Thrombocytes)
•if one of the blood vessels is damaged, it sends
signals to the tiny platelets, then it rush to site
and form a blood clot (coagulation)
•They are produced in the red bone marrow from
large cells called megakaryocytes.
Plasma Proteins
•Albumin: 58% of plasma proteins
•helps maintain water balance
•Globulins: 38% of plasma proteins
•helps immune system
•Fibrinogen: 4% of plasma proteins
•aids in clot formation
Hematopoiesis
•is the process that produces formed elements.
•In the fetus, hematopoiesis occurs in several
tissues, including the liver, thymus, spleen,
lymph nodes, and red bone marrow.
•After birth, hematopoiesis is confined primarily
to red bone marrow, but some white blood cells
are produced in lymphatic tissues.
Blood Grouping
•Injury or surgery can lead to a blood transfusion
•Transfusion reactions/Aggulination: clumping of
blood cells (bad)
•Antigens:
•molecules on surface of erythrocytes
•Antibodies:
•proteins in plasma
•Blood groups:
•named according to antigen (ABO)
ABO Blood Groups
• In the ABO blood group system, there are two types of antigens that
may appear on the surface of the red blood cells, type A antigen
and type B antigen.
• Type A blood has type A antigens, type B blood has type B antigens,
and type AB blood has both types of antigens.
• Type O blood has neither A nor B antigens.
• The types of antigens found on the surface of the red blood cells are
genetically determined.
• Antibodies against the antigens are usually present in the plasma of
blood.
•Plasma from type A blood contains anti-B
antibodies, which act against type B antigens;
plasma from type B blood contains anti-A
antibodies, which act against type A antigens.
•Type AB blood plasma has neither type of
antibody, and type O blood plasma has both
anti-A and anti-B antibodies.
Blood Donor and Recipient According to ABO
Blood Types
•are universal donors because they have no
antigens
•Type A can receive A and O blood
•Type B can receive B and O blood
•Type AB can receive A, B, AB blood
•Type O can only receive O blood
Rh Blood Group
•Rh positive means you have Rh antigens
•95 to 85% of the population is Rh+
•Antibodies only develop if an Rh- person
is exposed to Rh+ blood by transfusion or
from mother to fetus
Diagnostic Blood Tests
•Complete blood count: provides information
such as RBC count, hemoglobin, hematocrit,
and WBC count
•Hematocrit: % of total blood volume
composed of RBC
•Hemoglobin: determines amount of
hemoglobin
•indicate anemia
• Prothrombin time: time it takes for blood to begin clotting (9
to 12 sec.)
• White blood cell count: total number of white blood cells
• White blood cell differential count: Determines the % of
each 5 kinds of leukocytes
• neutrophils: 60 to 70%
• lymphocytes: 20 to 25%
• monocytes: 3 to 8%
• eosinophils: 2 to 4%
• basophils: 0.5 to 1%
•Leukopenia: low white blood cell count
•caused by radiation, chemotherapy drugs,
tumors, viral infections
•Leukocytosis: high white blood cell count
•caused by infections and leukemia