The Cardiovascular System: The

Blood

19-1
 BLOOD

A - BODY FLUIDS
B - BLOOD
I- Function
II- Composition
III- Hemostasis
IV- Blood group
Body fluid
- 40% solid matter

- 60% of fluid:
- 2\3 intracellular
- 1\3 extracellular
- 80% interstitial
- 20% circulation
Blood: Functions:
1. transport nutrients to cells and remove
wastes.

2. regulation of temperature, pH, osmotic

pressure, glucose, calcium...

3. protection = fight infection (white blood

cells)
 Functions of Blood

Distribution - nutrients, wastes,

hormones, gases, etc.

hemostasis

Disease/ infection fighting

Hematocrit
Hematocrit
 Plasma composition
plasma - yellowish clear liquid, composed of water, proteins and other
solutes.
Water = 90%
Proteins = (all synthesized by the liver) (almost 10%):
Albumin = 54%, regulates osmotic pressure
Globulins = 38%, alpha and beta globulins in transport,
gamma globulins in defense (antibodies)
Fibrinogen = 7%, coagulation
Other solutes (less than 1%) :
Electrolytes - Na+, K+, Ca++, Mg++
Nutrients - glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, monoglycerides ...
Gases - O2, N2, CO2
Regulatory substance - hormones, enzymes
Vitamins
Wastes
 Plasma Proteins

Albumin (60%) Major contributor to osmotic

concentration of plasma. Transport of lipids
and steroid hormones

Globulins (35%) Transport ions, hormones,

lipids; immune function

Fibrinogen (4%) Essential component of

clotting system (conversion to insoluble
fibrin)

Regulatory proteins (< 1%) ????

 Other Solutes

Electrolytes: Normal extracellular

fluid ion composition

Organic nutrients: glucose, FA,

AA

Organic wastes: urea, bilirubin

Formed Elements cont. Why white blood cells???
Hematopoiesis
Blood cells Formed Elements
 Erythrocytes
- 99% of formed elements
- bag" filled with hemoglobin (15g/100ml of
blood)
- about 4 to 5 millions RBC per mm3 blood
- Carry oxygen
 Erythropoiesis
In red bone marrow (all hematopoiesis)
Hemocytoblast Reticulocyte (nucleated)
Last stage = erythrocytes (lost nucleus)
 Hemoglobin
Globin + Heme
Globin = 2 alpha + 2 beta
chains
Heme = porphyrin ring + Fe
Carry oxygen to tissues
Life cycle of a RBC
 Factors influencing RBC synthesis
- Presence of nutrients:
- Proteins globin
- Iron
- vitamin B-12 (found in food)

Intrinsic factor:
secreted in stomach
promotes absorption of Vit B-12 in the duodenum
deficit pernicious anemia

erythropoietin
hormone synthesized by kidney
decreased blood O2 stimulates secretion of
erythropoietin by the kidney.
stimulates the bone marrow to produce more RBCs
Leukopoiesis
 Leukocytes
granular leukocytes
- neutrophils - 70% - phagocytosis of bacteria, debris; work
within the blood vessels
- Eosinophils - 3% - destroy parasites
- Basophils - allergic reactions (mast cells in tissues)

agranular leukocytes
- lymphocytes - 20%, form antibodies
B-lymph (bone marrow)
T-lymph (bone => thymus)

- monocytes - phagocytosis of bacteria

(macrophages in tissues)
 Thrombocytes - Platelets

Derived from
megakaryoblasts

Bits of cytoplasm

200 000 mm3

Role: Platelet plug

formation
 Hemostasis

Definition: Ability of the body to stop bleeding.

Four phases:
1- Vasospasm
2- Platelet plug formation
3- Coagulation
4- Clot Retraction
 Step 1: Vasospasm
Local effect
Reflex
Due to smooth
vessels in blood
vessels
Goal: to decrease
amount of bleeding
 Step 2: Platelet plug
Platelets:
- change shape
- become sticky
- release chemicals
- among them:
serotonin
 Step 3: Coagulation
Transform fibrinogen
into strand of fibrin
Two pathways
Extrinsic pathway
Intrinsic pathway
Extrinsic and Intrinsic coagulation
pathways
 Blood Types
Many blood types
Due to proteins present on the surface on
the RBC
In some case, presence of antibodies in
the plasma
Examples: ABO, Rh
 ABO Blood typing:
4 combinations possible

A surface antigen = blood type A

B surface antigen = blood type B
both surface antigens = type AB
neither surface antigen = type O

Rh surface antigen = + blood type

no Rh antigen = negative blood type
 . . . 2 - 8 months after birth:

Anti-A and anti-B antibodies can be

formed in plasma !
 Transfusion Reaction
Transfusion of incompatible blood can be fatal!
 Rh blood type
Rh +:
-Rh protein present on
the RBCs
- no antibody ever
present in the plasma

Rh -:
no protein on the RBCs, no
antibody anti-Rh in the blood
BUT the person can
manufacture them if they are
exposed to them

RH+: more common (85%)