Blood

I. Functions:
 1. Transport molecules to + from capillaries
where exchange occurs (RBC’s, plasma)
 2. Help guard against microbes (WBC’s)
 3. Prevent life-threatening blood loss by
clotting (platelets etc)
II. Composition
 55% Plasma (inorganic + organic
substances dissolved in water  includes
plasma proteins)
 45% “FORMED ELEMENTS” (cellular compound)
a) erythrocytes (RBC’s)
b) leukocytes (WBC’s)
c) thrombocytes (platelets)
a) Red Blood Cells
 Continuously manufactured in red bone marrow
(in ribs, vertebrae, ends of long bones)
 SHAPE: Biconcave discs
 Each cell has ~ 200million hemoglobin molecules (Hb)
- 4 separate proteins (α + β)
globins “Quaternary structure”
- Hb increases the O2 – carrying
capacity of blood box+
- also helps transport CO2
(RBC continued)
- RBC’s have no nucleus – they last ~120days
(destroyed in liver + spleen  heme portion is broken
down into bile pigments + the iron gets recycled)
- RBC production ↑ at high altitudes
b) White Blood Cells (WBC’s)
- Main function is to fight infection
- 8 - 10x larger than RBC’s
- Less numerous than RBC’s

2 MAIN TYPES:
GRANULAR AGRANULAR
Neutrophils Monocytes
55 – 70% - very large + phagocytic (2 – 8%)
Phagocytize+digestbacteria - Indented nucleus
Lymphocytes
Eosinophils + Basophils - matured in lymph thymus +
Involved in inflammatory + allergic bone marrow
response
- responsible for immunity
Polymorphonuclear - Procedure antibodies
(many-lobed nucleus)
Mononuclear
(have circular or indented nucleus)
c) Platelets
- Cell fragments of huge cells called megakaryocytes
(from bone marrow)
- Involved in blood clotting along with some plasma
proteins
- Produce 200,000,000,000 per day
* If blood doesn’t clot, you may have HEMOPHILIA
Blood Clotting
① Blood vessel breaks; platelets + injured tissues
release the enzyme PROTHROMBIN
ACTIVATOR
Prothrombin

② PROTHROMBIN  THROMBIN
(from liver, requires VIT.K) activator

③ FIBRINOGEN  FIBRIN
(from liver) (makes up the mesh of the clot; fibrin
threads wind around platelets + RBC’s,
making a plug. Eventually, the clot will
be destroyed by the enzyme PLASMIN
 prevents thromboembolism)
Blood Clotting (continued)
Plasma Proteins
- all of them help maintain blood PH (buffers)
and blood osmotic pressure/ viscosity
- specifically, some are for clotting, some are
for the transport of large organic molecules
(such as cholesterol, hormones, vitamins)
and some for fighting infection (eg.
Globulins, which are a type of antibody)
III TRANSPORT and EXCHANGE of
O2 + CO2
a) - O2: most is carried by Hb inside RBC’s (O2 is
carried on heme portion of Hb)
-O2 binds with Hb in lungs, where it is cool +
neutral ptt
-O2 released from Hb at body tissues, where it is
warmer + slightly acidic
lungs

Hb + O2 ↔ HbO2 (oxy hemoglobin-bright red)

(deoxyhemoglobin tissues
– dark purple)
(continued)

b) CO2: Carbon dioxide – carried 2 ways

-a small amount is carried by Hb
Hb + CO2 ↔ HbCO2  carbamino hemoglobin
-most CO2 dissolves in the blood plasma, forming
BICARBONATE ION! :
tissues tissues
CO2 + H2O ↔ H2CO3 ↔ H+ + HCO3-
lungs lungs Bicarbonate ion
H+ + Hb  HHb
↑ reduced hemoglobin
O2/ CO2 exchange:
-Blood always has a greater concentration of
O2+ nutrients than tissue fluid, so O2+
nutrients diffuse out of a capillary into the
tissues.
- Tissue fluid always has a greater
concentration of CO2+ wastes than blood,
so CO2+ wastes diffuse into a capillary from
the tissues
Fluid Exchange
Fluid Exchange (cont.)
-At arterial end,
blood pressure > osmotic pressure
40mmHg > 25mmHg
Therefore, water exits capillary
(RBC’s + plasma proteins are too big to
leave!)
Fluid Exchange (cont.)
-At the venous end,
blood pressure < osmotic pressure
10mmHg < 25mmHg
Therefore, water enters the capillary
(cont.)
NOTE: osmotic pressure is created by the presence
of salts and plasma proteins in the blood.

- the water exchange is not equal – some H2O is

not returned to the capillary. The excess tissue
fluid is picked up by the lymph capillaries and is
returned to the systemic venous blood at the
subclavianvein.
IV BLOOD TYPING
Antigen (Ag) – a marker on a cell or virus that is recognized by an
antibody (Ab)
- a specific Ab will react with a specific antigen, usually
neutralizating the substance.
- our own cells have antigens (“markers”), but we don’t
make antibodies for them. However, if our cells are placed in
someone else’s body, that person’s antibodies may destroy
them
- this is called TISSUE REJECTION.
- blood cells have antigens Aor B
NOTE: An ANTIBODY is a protein made by the body, designed
to combat a foreign protein.
Blood type
Fetal Erythroblastosis : (death of body)
- If a mother (Rh-) has an Rh+ baby, (ie. Father = Rh+) some
leakage of baby’s blood occurs from baby to mom during
birth (thru placenta)
 therefore, mom makes Rh antibodies (during of just after
birth)
If mom has another Rh+ child; she already has Rh Ab’s
that will attack the second baby’s RBC’s at birth.
 to prevent this, mom is injected with RhoGAM shortly after
the birth of first baby.
 this destroys fetal cells present before the
mom’s baby starts producing Rh antibodies
(therefore, timing is important)
(cont.)
Blood Type Antigens Antibodies

AB