• Connective Tissue
– Transports dissolved gases (O₂,
CO₂) nutrients (glucose, amino
acids, vitamins, minerals,
enzymes, hormones, metabolic
wastes, fatty acids, glycerol
• Regulates
– pH – blood remains in the range
of 6.8 – 7.4
– Helps stabilize body temperature
• Maintains fluid volume
– Removes excess salt
• Defense against pathogens and
toxins
• Blood clotting
– Prevent blood loss
Blood Function
Blood Composition
• The average
person has
about 5 litres
of blood
Cellular Components of blood
RBC’s (Erythrocytes)
• Most abundant cell
• Biconcave shape
• Red blood cells are produced in
bone marrow
– Controlled by hormone called
erythropoietin
• Have no nucleus
• Contain hemoglobin
– Transports oxygen and carbon
dioxide
• Survive approx 120 days
WBC’s (Leukocytes)
• Protect the body from infection
• Neutrophil (first responders)
– Defend against bacterial or fungal infection
– Form pus
• Eosinophil
– Defend against parasitic infection
• Basophil
– Allergic response
– Release histamine
• Lymphotcyte
– Specific immune response
– Defend against virus, cancer
• Monocyte (Macrophage)
– Phagocytosis
Platelets (Thrombocytes)
• Small disk shaped clear
cell fragments
• Survive 5-9 days
• Form blood clots
– Fibrinogen –protein that
promotes coagulation of
platelets
Blood Cell Formation
• RBC’s, WBC’s and platelets are all produced in the
bone marrow
• WBC’s are stored in the spleen, thymus, lymph
nodes
• Platelets are stored in the spleen
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
• Blood test done that is part of a routine medical
assessment
• It can test and monitor different diseases
• Hb – hemoglobin
• HCT – hematocrit - % of red blood cells in relation to blood
volume
• K/uL – thousand per microliter
RBC Disorders
• Anemia
– Low number of red blood cells
– Symptoms: fatigue, pale skin,
shortness of breath
– Treatment: transfusion, marrow
transplant
• Iron-deficiency anemia
– Low iron intake
– Treatment: iron pills, blood
transfusion
• Sickle cell anemia
– Genetic condition, red blood cells
change shape block blood flow
– Symptoms: severe pain, organ
damage
– Treatment: oxygen therapy,
antibiotics
WBC Disorders
• Leukemia
– Cancer of the blood or bone
marrow
– Signs: Excessive build up of WBC’s,
infection, pneumonia
– Symptoms: feeling sick, flu-like
– Treatment: pharmaceutical
medication, radiation
• Myeloma
– Malignant tumor of bone marrow
– Symptoms: Bone pain, weakness,
fatigue, weight loss, kidney
problems
– Treatment: radiation, steroids, stem
cell transplant
Platelet Disorder
• Thrombocytopenia
– Decrease in platelet count
– 50 K/µL
– Symptoms: bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums
– Treatments: Corticosteroids, lithium carbonate
What Determines Blood Type
• Antigen (type A and B)
– Protein molecules called
agglutinogens attach to the
surface of red blood cells
• ABO Classification System
– Presence or absence of antigen
– 4 different types of blood
• Rh Protein
– Surface protein (ion channel)
– Positive or Negative
– Ex; A positive (A+)
Blood Type is Genetic
• A and B antigen proteins are produced by two
different enzymes that are encoded by two
different alleles of the same gene
• O allele codes for protein that is not functional
• Possible combinations:
Blood Transfusions
• Donor and Recipient blood
types need to match
• Surface molecules on
blood need to be the same
• Otherwise antibodies will
recognize blood as foreign
triggering an immune
response
• Result in blood clotting
• O+ (39% of Canadians share your blood type)
– Most common blood type in Canada
– Given to all other positive blood types (O+, A+, B+, AB+)
• O- (7% of Canadians share your blood type)
– Universal Donor – compatible with all blood types
• A+ (36% of Canadians share your blood type)
– Receive blood from (A+, A-, O+, O-)
• A- (6% of Canadians share your blood type)
– Receive blood from (A-, O-)
Donating
Blood
• B+ (7.6% of Canadians share your blood type)
– Receive blood from (B+, B-, O+, O-)
• B- (1.4% of Canadians share your blood type)
– Receive blood from (B-, O-)
• AB+ (2.5% of Canadians share your blood type)
– Universal recipient – receive blood from any type
• AB- (0.5% of Canadians share your blood type)
– Universal donor for plasma
– AB+, AB- are Universal donors for plasma
Cardiovascular System
• Blood vessels
– Arteries,
arterioles,
capillaries,
venules, veins
• Heart
– Composed of
cardiac muscle
tissue
– Pumps the
blood
throughout the
body
Cardiovascular System
• Pulmonary Circuit (lungs)
– Moves blood from the heart to the lungs and back to the
heart
– Blood moving from the heart to the lungs is de-oxygenated
– Blood moving from the lungs to the heart is oxygenated
– Carbon dioxide is being delivered, oxygen is being picked up
• Pulmonary arteries/veins carry blood
Cardiovascular System
• Systemic Circuit
– Movement of blood from
heart to the body and back
to the heart
– Blood moving from heart
to the body is oxygenated
– Blood moving from the
body back to the heart is
de-oxygenated
– Oxygen is being delivered,
Carbon dioxide is being
picked up
• Arteries
– carry blood away from the
heart
• Arterioles
– Branches out from artery
and leads to capillaries
• Capillaries
– Smallest blood vessel
– capillary bed supplies
organ with blood
• Veins
– Carry blood to the heart
– Contain valves to stop
backflow
• Venules
– Carry blood from capillary
bed to vein
Blood Vessels
The Heart
• Four chambers
– Left/Right Ventricles pump blood to the body
– Left/Right Atria – receive
blood from the body
• Muscle tissue
– Septum – separates
oxygenated blood from
deoxygenated blood
• Valves
– Four valves – keep the
blood flowing in one
direction
• Nodes
– AV/SA nodes - pacemaker
Path of Blood Through the Heart
• Draw a flow chart
showing the path
of blood through
the heart
• Starting point
– Body
– deoxygenated
blood
• End Point
– Body
– oxygenated blood
Path of Blood Through the Heart
• Superior/Inferior Vena
Cava→ Right Atrium→
Tricuspid Valve→ Right
Ventricle→ Pulmonary
Valve→ Pulmonary
Artery→ Lungs →
Pulmonary Veins→ Left
Atrium→ Mitral Valve→
Left Ventricle→ Aortic
Valve→ Aorta→ Body
Coronary Arteries
• Supply blood to the heart
• Coronary Artery Disease
– Plaque buildup causes
blockage in arteries
• Lead to
– Heart attack, ischemia
• Causes
– Smoking, hypertension,
high cholesterol, diabetes,
diet, obesity
• Treatment
– Angioplasty procedure
– Coronary artery bypass
graft
The Cardiac Cycle
• All of the events
that occur during
one heart beat
• Systole (lub)
– Contraction of
heart (leaving
chambers)
• Diastole (dub)
– Relaxation of
heart (filling
chambers)
Cardiac Cycle (Diastole)
• Ventricles relaxed
• Blood flowing from LA and RA
into LV and RV
• Blood flows through
atrioventricular valves
(mitral/tricuspid)
• Aortic/pulmonic valves closed
• RA receives venous blood from
body through superior/inferior
vena cava
• LA receives oxygenated blood
from lungs via pulmonary veins
• Diastole ends, both atria contract
Cardiac Cycle (Systole)
• Ventricles contract
• Aortic and pulmonic valves
open
• Blood ejected into aorta
and pulmonary arteries
• Atrioventricular valves
closed during systole
• Atria fill with blood via
vena cava and pulmonary
veins
Cardiac Output (CO)
• Volume of blood
ejected from the left
or right ventricle into
the aorta or
pulmonary trunk per
minute
• Depends on
– Heart rate
– Stroke volume
Cardiac Output = (HR
bpm)(SV L/beat)
Stroke Volume (SV)
• Amount of blood pumped by
each ventricle with each
heartbeat
• Average person pumps 70 ml
(0.07L) per beat at rest
Stroke Volume = EDV – ESV
• End Systolic Volume
– Amount of blood ejected
during systole
– 50mL remain
• End Diastolic Volume
– Amount of blood filling during
diastole
– Each ventricle contains 120mL
at the end of diastole
Cardiac Output Per Min
• Calculate the total volume of blood (L) that travels
through the heart per minute (L/min)
• EDV = 120 mL
• ESV = 5 mL
• SV = ?
• CO = ?
• HR = 70 bpm
Arrythmia
• Irregular heartbeat
– Tachycardia – too fast (over 100 bpm)
– Bradycardia – too slow (less than 60
bpm)
– Premature – too early
– Fibrillation – irregularly
• Can occur in the atrium or
ventricles
• Causes
– Smoking, alcohol, drugs, caffeine,
heart disease, hypertension,
hyperthyroidism, heart attack,
diabetes, old age, obesity
Blood Pressure
• Arteries change shape in
response to blood
pressure
• Systolic Pressure
– Pressure on the walls of
the arteries from
ventricular contractions
– Normal is 120
• Diastolic Pressure
– Pressure on the walls of
the arteries when the
heart is at rest
– Normal is 80
Hypertension
• High Blood Pressure
– 140/90 or higher
• Leads to (chronic)
– Cardiac disease, kidney
disease, atherosclerosis,
eye damage, stroke
• Causes
– Alcohol, smoking,
obesity, caffeine, salt,
stress, age, genetic
• Treatment
– Diet, medication