BLOOD:

Is a unique form of connective tissue consist of four major components, Erythrocyte, leukocytes, platelets and plasma. the cells suspended in the plasma ( a liquid medium) , blood cells transport gases, nutrients, hormones and waste products to and from different cells in the body.

CELLS OF BLOOD : *Erythrocytes (red blood cells) are non- nucleated cells and are the most numerous blood cells, which is biconcave discoid shape cells, their function is to carry the oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from different cells in the body because it contain protein hemoglobin, Their life span is 120 days in the blood.

*Leukocytes (white blood cells) are nucleated cells, Their function is to defend the body against different bacteria and foreign materials. These are sub divided into two types according to the presence & absence of granules in their cytoplasm :A Granulocytes :These are divided into three types according to the type of the cytoplasmic granules as well as it contain different shaped nuclei.

1-Neutrophils :-These cells of lobulated nucleus (about 3-5 lobules)and contain cytoplasmic granules which appear very fine as a result the cytoplasm appear clear or neutral, they have short life span (10) hours in the blood and then enter to the tissue remaining for 2-3 days, these cells consist about 60-70% of blood leukocytes.

Blood smear

Red blood cells

Platelets

Neutrophil

2-Eosinophils :-Have abilobed nucleus and eosinophilic (bright pink) cytoplasmic processes, they remain in the blood (10) hours and (10) days in the tissue these cells activated in the allergic conditions and in parasitic infestation and form about 2-4% of blood leukocyte.

Blood smear

Eosinophil

Neutrophil

3-Basophils :-The nucleus is not lobulated and the cytoplasmic granules stained dark blue.it produce heparin & histamine which cause severe allergic reactions it constitute less than 1% of blood leukocytes.

B A granulocytes :-Their cytoplasm contain no granules. 1-Monocytes :-Are the largest a granulocytes, the nucleus varies from oval to horse shoe shape, their cytoplasm is abundant, these cells live in the blood for 3 days and in the tissues for few months in which it convert into Macrophages and engulf the bacteria and other foreign materials, it constitute about 8% of blood leukocytes.

Blood smear

Monocyte

2-Lymphocytes :-have a rounded nucleus and few cytoplasm, these cells vary in the size from the smaller than R.B.C. and called small lymphocytes to twice larger than R.B.C. and called large lymphocytes, these cells important in the immunologic defenses, their life span from days to months and constitute about 20-30% of blood leukocytes.

Blood smear

Lymphocyte

*Platelets or Thrombocytes :These are small non nucleated elements in the blood it is not cells but cytoplasmic fragments of Megakaryocytes (the largest CELL in the bone marrow), their function is to detect any damage in the endothelial lining of blood vessels, where the plateletsadhere to the damaged site and initiate highly complex mechanism that produce blood clots.