The Blood
Blood Functions
Transport oxygen,
and nutrients to body
tissues
 Remove CO2 and
metabolic wastes
from body tissues
 Regulates bodies Ph
levels and ion
concentrations
 Maintenance of body
temp (absorbs and
distributes heat)

Restriction of fluid
loss at injury sites
(initiates the clotting
process)
 Defense against
toxins and pathogens



White Blood Cells
(WBC) fight infections
Antibodies fight
specific pathogens or
organisms
Blood Composition

Plasma: Liquid part of
blood


Slightly thicker than
water
Formed Elements:



Red Blood Cells
White Blood Cells
Platelets
Formed Elements (RBC/Erythrocytes)


Biconcave disks (see
pic.)
Contain Hemoglobin



Heme: Contains iron and
binds O2
Globin: Binds CO2
Most abundant of the
formed elements


4.8 million/mm3 of blood
in females
5.4 million/mm3 of blood
in males
Formed Elements: RBC

Live 120 days
 Wear
and tear of transport
Erythropoeisis is the formation of
RBC’s (within RED Bone Marrow)
 Broken down in spleen and liver

 If
destruction and creation aren’t equal
= Anemia
Iron Deficient Anemia
Anemic Blood
Normal Blood
Formed Elements: RBC

Hemoglobin:
 Broken
into heme and bilirubin (yellow
pigment)
 Jaundice: Can’t metabolize and excrete
bilirubin efficiently.
 Get
a build up of yellow pigment within the bodies
tissues (skin and eyes primarily)
Jaundice
Icterus: Jaundice of Sclera
Formed Elements: White Blood Cells
(Leukocytes)
Six different types of
leukocytes
 All function to protect
the body against
infection (immune
system)
 Produced in the White
Bone Marrow

Formed Elements: WBC
Leukocytes are destroyed and replaced
daily
 5-10 thousand/mm3 of blood (normal)
 >10,000 = Infection

 Leukemia

is an excess in WBC
<5,000 = Leucopenia (can’t fight
infections)
Formed Elements: Platelets
(thrombocytes)

Membrane bound particles that house
enzymes for clotting.
Formed Elements: Platelets
Number: 250-400,000/mm3 of blood
 Production: Red bone marrow
 Structure: Disc shaped with no nucleus
 Function: Blood clotting
 Lifespan: 5-9 days

Formed Elements
Hematocrit

The percentage of a
blood sample that is
made up of formed
elements



46% in men
42% in women
Upwards of 55% in
athletes who are blood
doping
Hemostasis/Blood Clotting

3 Phases
 Vascular
injury
 Lasts
Phase: Vascular spasms at the site of
for 30 minuets after injury
 Blood vessels constrict (restrict blood flow)
 Platelets begin releasing local hormones causing
endothelial cells at injury site to become sticky
 Spasm is a reflex triggered by pain receptors at
injury site
Hemostasis

Platelet Phase:
 Platelets
begin to stick to endothelial and
collagen fibers exposed by wound
 More and more platelets arrive and stick
together forming a “platelet plug” (not a clot
yet)
 Begins within 15 seconds of injury
Hemostasis

Coagulation Phase:
 Begins
30 seconds after injury
 Fibrinogen within plasma is formed into
insoluble fibrin.
 Fibrin forms into “mesh-like” network that
catches passing blood cells and platelets.
 Blood
Clot is formed
Blood Clot Formation
Clotting Diseases

Hemophilia:
 Inherited
disease
 Lack of clotting factors (chemicals)
 Blood cannot clot properly
Clotting Diseases

Sickle Cell Anemia:
Production of
abnormal hemoglobin,
resulting in “sickle”
shaped red blood cells
 Low oxygen carrying
capacity
 Most predominant in
African Americans
 RBC tangle together
and form clots within
the body

Blood Typing

Blood type is determined by ANTIGENS on
the surface of RBC’s.
 Blood
type refers to antigens that are on your
RBC’s
 There are over 50 surface antigens
 We predominantly use 3
A
B
 Rh
factor
Blood Typing

Surface Antigens
 If
you have an antigen on your RBC’c you do
not have the antibody.
 Ex.
Type A:
 Has A antigens
 Does not have B antigens
 Does not have A antibodies
 Does have B Antibodies
 Antigens
are on RBC’s, antibodies are in
the plasma
Blood Typing

If both antibodies and antigens are
present agglutination occurs.
 This
is the “clumping” of blood when the
antibodies and antigens combine.
 Ex.
Type A blood has A antigens, if combined with
type B blood or AB blood, agglutination occurs
because type B blood has type B antigens.
Blood Typing

Type A Blood:

Type B Blood:

Type AB Blood: Universal receiver (no antibodies
to cause agglutination.

Type O Blood: Universal donor (no antigens for
receivers antibodies to agglutinate with)
Blood Typing

Rh factor:
 Rh–
:no antibodies unless previously exposed
to Rh factor through injection, pregnancy,
etc…
 If
mom has a second Rh+ baby, second baby’s
blood will agglutinate as a result of mom’s Rh
antibodies, which were formed when mom was
exposed to her first child’s Rh+ blood.
 Cannot
cross Rh- and Rh+
Blood Typing
Type A: 40%
 Type B: 10%
 Type AB: 4%
 Type O: 46%
 Rh+ : 85%
 Rh- : 15%

 What
are the overall most common and least
common blood types???