Blood Composition Blood

Fluid connective tissue Plasma non-living fluid matrix Formed elements living blood "cells" suspended in plasma
Erythrocytes (red blood cells, or RBCs) Leukocytes (white blood cells, or WBCs) Platelets

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Blood Composition Spun tube of blood yields three layers

Plasma on top (~55%) Erythrocytes on bottom (~45%) WBCs and platelets in Buffy coat (< 1%)

Hematocrit
Percent of blood volume that is RBCs 47% 5% for males; 42% 5% for females

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Figure 17.1 The major components of whole blood.

Slide 1

Formed elements Plasma 55% of whole blood Least dense component Buffy coat Leukocytes and platelets <1% of whole blood Erythrocytes 45% of whole blood (hematocrit) Most dense component

1 Withdraw blood and place in tube.

2 Centrifuge the blood sample.

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Formed Elements Only WBCs are complete cells RBCs have no nuclei or other organelles Platelets are cell fragments Most formed elements survive in bloodstream only few days Most blood cells originate in bone marrow and do not divide

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Figure 17.2 Photomicrograph of a human blood smear stained with Wright's stain.

Platelets

Erythrocytes

Monocyte

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Neutrophils

Lymphocyte

Erythrocytes Biconcave discs, anucleate, essentially no organelles Diameters larger than some capillaries Filled with hemoglobin (Hb) for gas transport Contain plasma membrane protein spectrin and other proteins
Spectrin provides flexibility to change shape

Major factor contributing to blood viscosity

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Figure 17.3 Structure of erythrocytes (red blood cells).

2.5 m

Side view (cut)

7.5 m

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Top view

Erythrocytes Structural characteristics contribute to gas transport

Biconcave shapehuge surface area relative to volume >97% hemoglobin (not counting water) No mitochondria; ATP production anaerobic; do not consume O2 they transport

Superb example of complementarity of structure and function

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Erythrocyte Function RBCs dedicated to respiratory gas transport Hemoglobin binds reversibly with oxygen Normal values
Males - 1318g/100ml; Females - 1216 g/100ml

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Hemoglobin Structure Globin composed of 4 polypeptide chains

Two alpha and two beta chains

Heme pigment bonded to each globin chain

Gives blood red color

Heme's central iron atom binds one O2 Each Hb molecule can transport four O2 Each RBC contains 250 million Hb molecules
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Figure 17.4 Structure of hemoglobin.

Globin chains

Heme group

Globin chains Hemoglobin consists of globin (two alpha and two beta polypeptide chains) and four heme groups. Iron-containing heme pigment.

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Hemoglobin (Hb) O2 loading in lungs

Produces oxyhemoglobin (ruby red)

O2 unloading in tissues
Produces deoxyhemoglobin or reduced hemoglobin (dark red)

CO2 loading in tissues

20% of CO2 in blood binds to Hb carbaminohemoglobin

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Erythrocyte Disorders Anemia

Blood has abnormally low O2-carrying capacity Sign rather than disease itself Blood O2 levels cannot support normal metabolism Accompanied by fatigue, pallor, shortness of breath, and chills

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Causes of Anemia: High RBC Destruction Thalassemias

Typically Mediterranean ancestry One globin chain absent or faulty RBCs thin, delicate, deficient in Hb Many subtypes
Severity from mild to severe

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Causes of Anemia: High RBC Destruction Sickle-cell anemia

Hemoglobin S
One amino acid wrong in a globin beta chain

RBCs crescent shaped when unload O2 or blood O2 low RBCs rupture easily and block small vessels
Poor O2 delivery; pain

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Sickle-cell Anemia Black people of African malarial belt and descendants Malaria
Kills 1 million each year

Sickle-cell gene
Two copies Sickle-cell anemia One copy Sickle-cell trait; milder disease; better chance to survive malaria

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Figure 17.8 Sickle-cell anemia.

Val His Leu Thr Pro Glu Glu 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 146 Normal erythrocyte has normal hemoglobin amino acid sequence in the beta chain.

Val His Leu Thr Pro Val Glu 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 146

Sickled erythrocyte results from a single amino acid change in the beta chain of hemoglobin.
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Erythrocyte Disorders Polycythemia vera

Bone marrow cancer excess RBCs Severely increased blood viscosity

Secondary polycythemia
Less O2 available (high altitude) or EPO production increases higher RBC count Blood doping

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Leukocytes Make up <1% of total blood volume

4,800 10,800 WBCs/l blood

Function in defense against disease

Can leave capillaries via diapedesis Move through tissue spaces by ameboid motion and positive chemotaxis

Leukocytosis: WBC count over 11,000/mm3

Normal response to infection
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Leukocytes: Two Categories Granulocytes Visible cytoplasmic granules

Neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils

Agranulocytes No visible cytoplasmic granules

Lymphocytes, monocytes

Decreasing abundance in blood

Never let monkeys eat bananas

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Figure 17.9 Types and relative percentages of leukocytes in normal blood.

Formed elements (not drawn to scale)

Differential WBC count (All total 4800 10,800/ l)

Platelets Granulocytes Neutrophils (5070%) Leukocytes Eosinophils (24%) Basophils (0.51%) Erythrocytes Agranulocytes Lymphocytes (2545%) Monocytes (38%)
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Granulocytes Granulocytes
Larger and shorter-lived than RBCs Lobed nuclei Cytoplasmic granules stain specifically with Wright's stain All phagocytic to some degree

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Neutrophils Most numerous WBCs Also called Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs or polys) Granules stain lilac; contain hydrolytic enzymes or defensins 3-6 lobes in nucleus; twice size of RBCs Very phagocytic"bacteria slayers"

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Eosinophils Red-staining granules Bilobed nucleus Granules lysosome-like

Release enzymes to digest parasitic worms

Role in allergies and asthma Role in modulating immune response

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Basophils Rarest WBCs Nucleus deep purple with 1-2 constrictions Large, purplish-black (basophilic) granules contain histamine
Histamine: inflammatory chemical that acts as vasodilator to attract WBCs to inflamed sites

Are functionally similar to mast cells

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Figure 17.10a Leukocytes.

Granulocytes

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Neutrophil: Multilobed nucleus, pale red and blue cytoplasmic granules

Figure 17.10b Leukocytes.

Granulocytes

Eosinophil: Bilobed nucleus, red cytoplasmic granules

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Figure 17.10c Leukocytes.

Granulocytes

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Basophil: Bilobed nucleus, purplish-black cytoplasmic granules

Agranulocytes Agranulocytes
Lack visible cytoplasmic granules Have spherical or kidney-shaped nuclei

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Lymphocytes Second most numerous WBC Large, dark-purple, circular nuclei with thin rim of blue cytoplasm Mostly in lymphoid tissue (e.g., lymph nodes, spleen); few circulate in blood Crucial to immunity

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Lymphocytes Two types

T lymphocytes (T cells) act against virusinfected cells and tumor cells B lymphocytes (B cells) give rise to plasma cells, which produce antibodies

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Monocytes Largest leukocytes Abundant pale-blue cytoplasm Dark purple-staining, U- or kidney-shaped nuclei

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Monocytes Leave circulation, enter tissues, and differentiate into macrophages

Actively phagocytic cells; crucial against viruses, intracellular bacterial parasites, and chronic infections

Activate lymphocytes to mount an immune response

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Figure 17.10d Leukocytes.

Agranulocytes

Lymphocyte (small): Large spherical nucleus, thin rim of pale blue cytoplasm
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Figure 17.10e Leukocytes.

Agranulocytes

Monocyte: Kidney-shaped nucleus, abundant pale blue cytoplasm

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Leukocyte disorders
Leukopenia
Abnormally low WBC countdrug induced

Leukemias all fatal if untreated

Cancer overproduction of abnormal WBCs Named according to abnormal WBC clone involved Myeloid leukemia involves myeloblast descendants Lymphocytic leukemia involves lymphocytes

Acute leukemia derives from stem cells; primarily affects children Chronic leukemia more prevalent in older people
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Platelets Cytoplasmic fragments of megakaryocytes Blue-staining outer region; purple granules Granules contain serotonin, Ca2+, enzymes, ADP, and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)
Act in clotting process

Normal = 150,000 400,000 platelets /ml of blood

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Platelets Form temporary platelet plug that helps seal breaks in blood vessels Circulating platelets kept inactive and mobile by nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin from endothelial cells lining blood vessels Age quickly; degenerate in about 10 days Formation regulated by thrombopoietin Derive from megakaryoblast
Mitosis but no cytokinesis megakaryocyte - large cell with multilobed nucleus
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Figure 17.12 Formation of platelets.

Stem cell

Developmental pathway

Hematopoietic stem cell (hemocytoblast)

Megakaryoblast (stage I megakaryocyte)

Megakaryocyte (stage II/III)

Megakaryocyte (stage IV)

Platelets

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Table 17.2 Summary of Formed Elements of the Blood (1 of 2)

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Table 17.2 Summary of Formed Elements of the Blood (2 of 2)

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