Blood and cell component, structure and function of red blood cell, blood flow

Background

Normally, 7-8% of human body weight is from blood. In adults, this amounts to 4.5-6 quarts
of blood. This essential fluid carries out the critical functions of transporting oxygen and
nutrients to our cells and getting rid of carbon dioxide, ammonia, and other waste products.
In addition, it plays a vital role in our immune system and in maintaining a relatively constant
body temperature. Blood is a highly specialized tissue composed of more than 4,000
different kinds of components. Four of the most important ones are red cells, white cells,
platelets, and plasma. All humans produce these blood components--there are no
populational or regional differences.
Blood is a liquid connective tissue that consist of cells surounded by a liquid extracellular matrix. The
extracellular matrix is called blood plasma and it suspends various cell and cell fragments. Blood
transport oxygen from the lungs and nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract, which diffuse from the
blood into interstitial fluid and then into body cells. Carbon dioxide and other wastes move in the
reverse direction, from body cell to interstitial fluid to blood. Blood then transport the wastes to
various organ such as lungs and kidneys, and skin-for elimination from the body.

Goals :

1. Knowledgable about blood and cell component

2. Knowledgable about structure and function of red blood cell
3. Knowledgeable about blood flow

Blood

Blood is a liquid connective tissue that consist of cells surounded by a liquid

extracellular matrix. The extracellular matrix is called blood plasma and it suspends various
cell and cell fragments.

Functions of blood:

Supply oxygen to tissues

Supply nutrients such as glucose, amino acids and fatty acids to tissues
Removal of wastes such as CO2 , urea and lactic acid from tissues
Immunological functions, including circulation of white cells, and detection
of foreign material by antibodies
Messenger functions, including transport of hormones and signaling of
tissue
Coagulation, part of body's self-repair mechanism
Regulation of core body temperature
Regulation of body pH and ion concentrations
Component of blood

Blood plasma
is watery liquid extracelullar matrix that contains disolve substances. Blood plasma is about
91,5% water and 8,5 solutes, most of which (7% by weight) are proteins. Some of protein in
blood plasma are also found elsewhere in the body, but those confined to blood are called
plasma protein. Plasma protein are also called antibodies or immunoglobins because they
are produce during certain immune responses . beside protein other solutes in plasma
include electrolites nutrients regulatory substances such as and hormones, gases, and waste
product such as urea uric acid, creatinine, ammonia, and billirubin.
Formed elements
Include three principle components:
a. Red blood cell
are biconcave non-nucleated dics with a diameter of 8 microns. They contain oxygen
carrying pigment called heamoglobin, which is reponsible for their red for of whole
blood. Their plasma membrane is both strong and flexible, which allows them to deform
with out rupturing as they squeeze through narrow capillaries. As you will see later,
certain glycolipids in the plasma membrane of RBCS are antigens that account for the
various blood groups such as the ABO and Rh groups.

Red Blood Cell Characteristics

(RBC)- Erythrocyte
Biconcave disks
No nucleus
Contain the iron based pigment hemoglobin
which binds with oxygen to transport it
Life span about 120 days
5 billion/1mL of blood = most numerous
Are very small
white blood cells
(leukocytes)
platelets
(thrombocytes)

life span of red blood cells:

a. the lifespan of red blood cell is because of wear and tear on their
plasma membrane as they squeeze through the blood capillaries
b. without a nucleus and other organelles, red blood cells cannot
synthesis new components to replace damaged ones
c. as a result the plasma membrane becomes more fragile with age
and cells are more likely to burst
d. worn out cells are removed from the circulation by phagocytic
macrophages in the spleen and liver
e. after breakdown of RBCS, billirubin is formed which is further forms
apart of the bile formed by the liver.
Function of red blood cell:

The main function of a red blood cell is the transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The
primary function of carrying oxygen is made possible by a chemically complex protein called
hemoglobin. During circulation of blood through the lungs, hemoglobin becomes almost fully
saturated with oxygen, making the blood bright red. As red cells perfuse the capillary beds of
tissues and organs, oxygen is released from the hemoglobin into the tissues.
Because the main function of hemoglobin is the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the
tissues, the concentration of this substance in a patient is a matter of concern. Almost all body
functions depend on the oxygen transport capability of the blood. When the hemoglobin
concentration is low, tissues, may not receive an adequate amount of oxygen and, over time,
this presents problems. Inadequate oxygen supply to tissues results in poor healing of tissue
and can cause complications such as an increased workload on the heart.

Blood grouping and typing

- indiiduals hae different types of antigens on the surfaces of their red blood
cells
- these antigens wich are inherited determine the blood group of the individuals
- therefore individuals with the respective antigens on their blood cell,then the
individuals blood group is determined by the respective antigen
- the most commonly followed system of blood grouping is the ABO system

the ABO system

the ABO system classies blood grouping into different types

- blood group A (A-type antigen)

- blood group-B (B-type antigen)
- blood group-AB (both A and B-type antigens present
- blood group O(neither A nor B type antigen present)

the rhesus system

- the individuals posseing Rh surface of red blood cells are called as Rh+ve
individuals
- the individuals who do not posses Rh antigen on their surfaces of red blood
cells are called as Rh-ve individuals

Red Cell Cycle

RBCs enter the blood at a rate of about 2 million cells per second. The
stimulus for erythropoiesis is the hormone erythropoietin, secreted mostly
by the kidney. RBCs require Vitamin B12, folic acid, and iron. The lifespan of
RBC averages 120 days. Aged and damaged red cells are disposed of in the
spleen and liver by macrophages. The globin is digested and the amino
acids released into the blood for protein manufacture; the heme is toxic and
cannot be reused, so it is made into bilirubin and removed from the blood by
the liver to be excreted in the bile. The red bile pigment bilirubin oxidizes into
the green pigment biliverdin and together they give bile and feces their
characteristic color. Iron is picked up by a globulin protein (apotransferrin) to
be transported as transferrin and then stored, mostly in the liver, as
hemosiderin or ferritin. Ferritin is short term iron storage in constant
equilibrium with plasma iron carried by transferrin. Hemosiderin is long term
iron storage, forming dense granules visible in liver and other cells which are
difficult for the body to mobilize.

white blood cell (leukocytes)

- leukocytes are nucleated blood cells which are furthur divided into :
1. granular leukocytes
neuthrophils
the granules of a neutrophil are smaller than those of other granular
leukocytes, evenly distributed, and pale lilac.
Eosonophils
 The large, uniform-sized granules within an eosinophil are
eosinophilic (= eosin-loving) they stain red-orange with acidic
dyes.
Basophils
The round, variable-sized granules of a basophil are basophilic (=
basic loving) they stain blue-purple with basic dyes.
2. agranular leukocytes
lymphocytes ; T-lymphocyte and B-lymphocytes
the nucleus of a lymphocyte stains dark and is round and is slightly
indented.
Monocytes
The nucleus of a monocyte is usually kidney-shaped or horseshoe-
shaped and the cytoplasm is blue-gray and has a foamy appearance.

trombosit (platelet)

- thrombocytes are very small non-nucleated disc,(2-4 micro-m) in diameter,derived

into the cytoplasm of megakarocytes in the red bone marrow
- they contain a variety of substance which promote blood clotting,which cause
hemostasis noermal blood plate;et count (200,000-350,000/mm3)
- control of platelet production in the bone marrow is controlled by thromboprotein
- life span : 8-11 days

Platelet Production

Platelets are produced in the bone marrow, the same as the red cells and
most of the white blood cells. Platelets are produced from very large bone
marrow cells called megakaryocytes. As megakaryocytes develop into
giant cells, they undergo a process of fragmentation that results in the
release of over 1,000 platelets per megakaryocyte. The dominant
hormone controlling megakaryocyte development is thrombopoietin (often
abbreviated as TPO).

Platelet Function
Platelets are not only the smallest blood cell, they are the lightest. Therefore they
are pushed out from the center of flowing blood to the wall of the blood vessel. There they
roll along the surface of the vessel wall, which is lined by cells called endothelium. The
endothelium is a very special surface, like Teflon, that prevents anything from sticking to it.
However when there is an injury or cut, and the endothelial layer is broken, the tough fibers
that surround a blood vessel are exposed to the liquid flowing blood. It is the platelets that
react first to injury. The tough fibers surrounding the vessel wall, like an envelop, attract
platelets like a magnet, stimulate the shape change that is shown in the pictures above, and
platelets then clump onto these fibers, providing the initial seal to prevent bleeding, the leak
of red blood cells and plasma through the vessel injury.

Blood flow

All blood enters the right side of the heart through two veins: The superior vena cava (SVC)
and the inferior vena cava (IVC). The SVC collects blood from the upper half of the body. The
IVC collects blood from the lower half of the body. Blood leaves the SVC and the IVC and
enters the right atrium (RA) When the RA contracts, the blood goes through the tricuspid
valve and into the right ventricle (RV). When the RV contracts, blood is pumped through the
pulmonary valve, into the pulmonary artery (PA) and into the lungs where it picks up
oxygen.

Blood now returns to the heart from the lungs by way of the pulmonary veins and goes into
the left atrium (LA). When the LA contracts, blood travels through the mitral valve and into
the left ventricle (LV). The LV is a very important chamber that pumps blood through the
aortic valve and into the aorta. The aorta is the main artery of the body. It receives all the
blood that the heart has pumped out and distributes it to the rest of the body. The LV has a
thicker muscle than any other heart chamber because it must pump blood to the rest of the
body against much higher pressure in the general circulation (blood pressure).

The flow of blood from the left ventricle into the aorta then to the peripheral
regions of the body and back to the right atrium is defined as the systemic
circulation. The arteries and arterioles carry the oxygenated blood to the
capillaries in the tissues and the deoxygenated blood returns to the right atrium
through the venules and the veins. Blood flow from the right ventricle into the
lungs and back to the left atrium is defined as the pulmonary circulation.
Blood receives oxygen in the lungs and nutrients in the intestine and delivers
them to the cells in all parts of the body. The circulating blood also removes
cellular wastes and carbon dioxide from the cells for excetion through the
kidneys and the lung. It maintains the
visceral organs (brain, kidney, liver...) at a constant temperature by convecting
the heat generated and dissipating the same through transfer across the skin. It
stabilizes the body temperature and pH.

Conclusion:

Blood is a liquid connective tissue that consist of cells surounded by a liquid extracellular matrix. The
extracellular matrix is called blood plasma and it suspends various cell and cell fragments. The main
function of the blood is supply oxygen to tissues. There are two component of blood: blood plasma
and formed element (red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet ). The flow of blood from
the left ventricle into the aorta then to the peripheral regions of the body
and back to the right atrium is defined as the systemic circulation.

Reference:

Gerard and Bryan.2011.Principle of anatomy and physiology 13th edition.Asia.Wiley

http://www.ouhsc.edu/platelets/platelets/platelets%20intro.html

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=5260