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Roughly 5 liters per person
Blood is heavier than water (components are made
primarily of water with other biochemicals added in!)
Varies with:
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Body size
Changes in fluid and electrolytes/salt
Amount of adipose fat tissue
Gender (males have more than females!)
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Def: % of formed elements in blood
◦ Mostly red blood cells (RBCs)
◦ WBCs and platelets– less than 1%
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Normal values
◦ In males- mid to high 40’s
◦ In females- low 40’s
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When centrifuged/spun:
◦ White blood cells (WBCs) and platelets form a thin very thin
layer on top – called “buffy coat” – between plasma and RBCs
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Hematopoiesis
◦ Def: process by which immature stem cells become
specialized
◦ Become either RBC, WBC or platelets
◦ Location: Occurs in red bone marrow
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Also called erythrocytes
Biconcave shape
◦ Increases surface
area/volume ratio
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Mature cells lack nuclei
1/3 filled with hemoglobin
◦ Oxygen carrying polypeptide
molecule
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Composed of four chains
(polypeptides)
Also has iron or “heme”
group attached
Called oxyhemoglobin
when oxygen is bound to
it (bright red color)
Called deoxyhemoglobin
when oxygen is released
(darker color)
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The higher the # of RBCs
= higher oxygen carrying
capacity
◦ Change in # affects health
– greatly!
◦ Used, in part, to help
diagnose and evaluate
diseases
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Typical range
◦ Males: 4,600,000 –
6,200,000 cells per mm3
◦ Females: 4,200,000 –
5,400,000 cells per mm3
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Hematopoiesis (red blood cell formation)
◦ Before Birth: yolk sac, liver, and spleen
◦ After Birth: red marrow
◦ Controlled very precisely by homeostatic mechanisms
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Production influenced by:
◦ Vitamin B12
◦ Folic acid
◦ iron
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Circulate for 120 days
Old or damaged RBC’s are destroyed (removed
from blood circulation daily)
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Phagocytized by macrophages in liver or spleen
Hemoglobin is broken into heme and globin
Heme is broken into iron and biliverdin (greenish pigment)
Biliverdin is converted to bilirubin
Iron is stored in liver or brought to marrow
Biliverdin and bilirubin are secreted in bile
WBC
animation
Also called leukocytes
 Production stimulated by interleukins and
colony-stimulating factors
 Two groups:
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◦ 1) Granulocytes - have granular cytoplasm
 Neutrophils
 Eosinophils
 Basophils
◦ 2) Agranulocytes - no cytoplasmic granules
 Monocytes
 Lymphocytes
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Granulocyte
Average 54-62% of leukocytes
Fine cytoplasmic granules that are
light purple in neutral stain
Nucleus: 2-5 lobes
Lifespan: about 12 hours
Function: phagocytize bacteria and other particles
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Granulocyte
Average 1-3% of leukocytes
Coarse cytoplasmic granules that are deep red in acid
stain
Nucleus: 2 lobes
Lifespan: about 12 hours
Function: destroy certain parasites and
control inflammation or allergic reactions
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Granulocyte
Average ‹1% of leukocytes
Relatively few, irregularly shaped cytoplasmic
granules that are deep blue in basic stain
Nucleus: 2 lobes
Lifespan: about 12 hours
Function: release heparin and histamine
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Agranulocyte
Average 3-9% of
leukocytes
Nucleus: Varied shape
Lifespan: several
weeks or months
Function: phagocytize
materials
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Agranulocyte
Average 25-33% of leukocytes
Nucleus: Large and round
Lifespan: may live for years
Function: function in immune response
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Normal range: 5,000-10,000 mm3
Differential White Blood Cell Count
WBC
animation
◦ Distinguish how many of each type
◦ Can be important for diagnosing some disorders/problems
◦ Excessive:
 If your WBC count exceeds 10,000, this is leukocytosis
(infection)
 Ex: Appendicitis
◦ Deficiency:
 If you WBC count is below 5,000, this is leukopenia (low
count)
 Ex: typhoid fever, influenza, measles, mumps, chickenpox,
AIDS, polio
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White blood cells are also called leukocytes
◦ UP!!! 
When discussing hematocrit, WBCs make up the
majority of your blood.
◦ DOWN!!! 
The more WBCs you have, the better you’re
probably feeling.
◦ DOWN! 
Lymphocytes function to assist your immune
system
◦ UP!!! 
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Neutrophils are granulocytes.
◦ YES!!! 
Basophils phagocytize materials.
◦ NO!!! 
Monocytes make up the majority of your WBCs.
◦ NO!!! 
Have an excessive WBC count can mean an infection
like appendicitis.
◦ YES!!! 
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Also celled thrombocytes
Made from megokaryocyte
◦ Large cells in red bone marrow
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Production stimulated by thrombopoietin (hormone)
Lack nucleus
½ the size of RBC
Lifespan: about 10 days
Function: form blood clots, help close breaks in
damaged blood vessels
Normal range: 130,000-360,000
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91-2% water
Remainder is mixture
of biochemicals
◦ Proteins, nutrients,
hormones, electrolytes
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Function:
◦ Transporting nutrients,
gases and vitamins
◦ Regulate fluid and
electrolyte balance
◦ Maintain proper pH
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Main component of dissolved substances
Remain in plasma (not metabolized/broken down)
Types:
◦ 1) Albumin (60%)
 Help establish colloid osmotic pressure
 Transports lipids and steroid hormones
◦ 2) Globulins (36%)
 Transport of ions, lipids and fat-soluble vitamins and
some antibodies
◦ 3) Fibrinogen (4%)
 Function in blood coagulation and clotting
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Most important blood gases:
◦ Oxygen
◦ Carbon dioxide
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Plasma nutrients:
◦ Materials absorbed from digestive tract
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 Ex: Amino acids, simple sugars, nucleotides, lipids
Fats (triglycerides)
Phospholipids
Cholesterol
Lipoproteins
 When Fats, phospholipids, cholesterol combine with proteins
 Large size
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Nonprotein Nitrogenous Substances
◦ Amino acids
◦ Urea and uric acid
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Electrolytes
◦ Various ions (K+, Ca+, Cl-)
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Def: the stoppage of bleeding
Important when blood vessels are damaged (following
injury)
Vasospasm
◦ Contraction of blood vessel walls in response to small break
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Platelet plug
◦ Platelets adhere to damage and to each other to create a
plug; may release serotonin to cause vasoconstriction
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If previous two are unsuccessful, blood clot may form
(through coagulation)
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Def: formation of blood clot
Damaged tissue releases tissue
thromboplastin (hormone)
After series of rxns,
prothrombin activator is
created
Prothrombin activator (with
Calcium) converts
prothrombin to thrombin
Thrombin cuts fibrinogen into
fibrin fibers that form a
meshwork over the damage
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Hemophilia
◦ Uncontrolled bleeding (hemorrhaging) following
injury, frequent nosebleeds, blood in urine
◦ Inherited clotting disorder
◦ Carried on X chromosome (recessive)
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Von Willebrand Disease
◦ Tendency to bleed and bruise easily
◦ Inherited clotting disorder
◦ Far less severe than hemophilia
 Leukemia
◦ Symptoms:
 Fatigue, frequent colds/fevers, chills, sweats,
bruising, bone pain
◦ Diagnosing:
 Few RBCs and platelets, TOO many WBCs (notice
the prefix “leuk” from leukocytes)
◦ Cause:
 Red bone marrow producing too many granulocytes
cancer cells are not controlled – spread
◦ Treatment:
 Stem cell transplants, chemotherapy drugs
Leukemia smear
Normal smear
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Types: A, B, AB, O
Typing is based on antigens found on RBC’s
Two most important groups:
◦ 1) ABO group
◦ 2) Rh group
 + and – of each type
 Ex: A-, B-, AB-, O-; A+, B+, AB+, O+
Blood type is codominant (A and B are BOTH
equally dominant)
 Possible blood type genotypes (genetic code)
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◦ A (IAIA or IAi)
◦ B (IBIB or IBi)
◦ AB (IAIB)
◦ O (ii)
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Mixing blood types can
cause agglutination
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Possible Rh Blood Types:
◦ + (++ or +-)
◦ - (--)
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Condition cause by Rh incompatibility between
mother and fetus
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I have O- blood. What type can I receive?
◦ O- ONLY
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I have AB+ blood. What type can I receive?
◦ ANY!!!
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I have B- blood. Who can take my blood?
◦ B+ or B-; AB+ or AB-