Consists of blood cells & plasma Blood cells = Erythrocytes (RBC’s),
Leukocytes (WBC’s), & Thrombocytes (Platelets)
Blood is 55% plasma & 45% blood cells Woman has ≈ 5 liters Man has ≈ 6 liters
Transport Nutrients, waste, hormones,
enzymes, O2 & CO2
Regulation of body temp due to high volume of H2O in plasma
Helps regulate body pH Helps regulate water content of
cells/Osmosis Clotting: prevents fluid loss Protection against pathogens
(immune response, production of antibodies, destruction of bacteria/viruses, removal of cellular debris & allergic reactions)
91% water 7% proteins:
1. Albumin: maintains osmotic pressure & water balance
2. Globulins: antibodies, complements (immune response) & transport molecules
3. Fibrinogens: important role in clotting
2% solutes: Ions, nutrients, waste products,
gases, enzymes & hormones
95% of blood cell volume; biconcave disks No nucleus, simple structures, don’t divide
& live ≈ 120 days Composed of a network of protein called
stroma, cytoplasm, lipids (cholesterol) & hemoglobin (red pigment ≈ 33% of cell’s volume)
Function:Transport O2 & CO2 →→
Hemoglobin allows this Hemoglobin:
Globin = protein Heme = pigment containing 4 iron
atoms Iron combines with O2 in the lungs &
releases it in tissues; Bright red in color
Globin at tissues combines with CO2 & releases it at lungs; Dark red in color
2 subcategories: Granular & Nongranular Have nuclei & no pigment; larger than RBC’s General function in immune response:
Combat inflammation & infection Can leave the blood stream & move into tissues
via ameboid movement Phagocytosis: “cell eating”
1. Neutrophils: 60% - 70% of WBC’s Most active in WBC’s response to tissue
destruction by bacteria Stay in blood for 12 hours & then move to tissues
where they phagocytize (eat) foreign substances Secrete enzyme Lysozyme that destroys certain
bacteria Pus contains dead neutrophils, cell debris & fluids
2. Eosinophils: 2% - 4% of WBC’s Combat irritants (pollen, dust, pet dander, etc) that
causes allergies Produce antihistamines
3. Basophils: 0.5% - 1% of WBC’s Involved in allergic reactions Releases heparin (anticoagulant), histamine
(inflammatory substance) & serotonin (a vasoconstrictor)
1. Monocytes: 3% - 8% of WBC’s Phagocytotic: eat bacteria, dead cells
&/or cellular debris Largest; after they leave blood &
enter tissue, they increase in size & are called Macrophages
2. Lymphocytes: 20% - 25% of WBC’s Production of antibodies & play
important role in immune response Smallest; several types: B & T
lymphocytes Control cancer cells, destroy
microorganisms & reject foreign tissues
When larger blood vessels are damaged, clotting mechanism takes overCut vessel is rough & irregular
shaped 3 stages to clotting/coagulation
1.Rough surface of vessel causes platelets to clump together at the site of the injury Tissue releases thromboplastin which
produces prothrombin activator Requires Ca2+, certain proteins &
phospholipids
2. Ca2+ & prothrombin activator converts prothrombin into thrombin
3. Soluble fibrinogen is converted into insoluble fibrin
Thrombin catalyzes the reaction Fibrin forms long threads that act
like a net = CLOT Clot forms & traps blood cells &
platelets in the fibrin threads & bleeding stops
Syneresis: clot retraction; tightening of clot so wound gets smaller & smaller
Serum (blood plasma minus clotting factors) surrounds wound under clot & hemorrhage is stopped
Blood vessel repairs itself Fibronolysis occurs: blood clot dissolves
Build up of cholesterol mass (Plaque) on smooth walls of UNDAMAGED blood vessels can cause clot formationCalled Thrombosis & clot is called
a ThrombusThrombus may dissolve or a piece
can dislodge & get transported in blood = Embolus
Embolus can get stuck in a vessel & cut-off circulation = Embolism
If tissues are killed = Infarction
Agglutination: clumping of RBC’s, A.K.A transfusion reaction
Caused by reaction between antibodies in plasma & surface antigens on RBC’s
Caused by mismatched blood typesHeadache, difficulty breathing, face flushed, pain in
neck, chest & lower back, jaundice & kidney failure
Presence or absence of antigens on RBC surface: antigen A & antigen B
Inherited; 4 possible antigen combinations: A only: Type A B only: Type B A & B : Type AB Neither A nor B: Type O
Antibodies are formed during infancy against the ABO antigens NOT present on our own RBC’s Type A: antibody anti-B Type B: antibody anti-A Type AB: neither antibody → Type O: both anti-A & anti-B
Universal Recipient
Universal Donor
Inherited; named after Rhesus monkey where antigen 1st discovered
If antigen D is found on RBC, the blood is Rh positive If the RBC lacks the antigen, blood is Rh negative Anti-Rh antibodies only develop after initial exposure
to Rh-positive blood Rh-negative person receives transfusion from Rh-positive
person = no reaction (1st time) but anti-Rh antibodies form
If 2nd exposure happens, agglutination occurs