Components of Blood

By: Adele Phillips, Lauren Vidal, and Michael Penny

 Formed Elements
I. Red blood cells

II. White blood cells

A. Granular leukocytes (contain conspicuous granules that are visible under a light microscope after
staining)

1. Neutrophls

2. Eosinophils

3. Basophils

B. Agranular leukocytes (no granules are visible under a light microscope after staining)
 Red Blood Cells: Erythrocytes
- Contain hemoglobin, which carries oxygen and transports carbon dioxide in
the blood

- Most abundant cell type in blood tissue

- 5.4 million RBC per L of blood in a healthy adult male

- 4.8 million RBC per L of blood in a healthy adult female

- Large surface area for diffusion of gas molecules

 RBC Components
- Lack a nucleus and other organelles

- Cannot reproduce

- Cannot carry on extensive metabolic activities

- Internal space remains available for oxygen and carbon dioxide

transport

- Consist of a selectively permeable membrane, cytosol, and hemoglobin

 RBC: Life Cycle
1. Macrophages found in red bone marrow, the liver, and the spleen phagocytize nonfunctional red
blood cells and split apart the heme and globin portions of the hemoglobin.

2. Globin is broken down into amino acids.

3. Iron is removed from heme and acts as a transporter.

4. Iron-transferrin complex is carried to red bone marrow, where it is used in hemoglobin synthesis.

5. Erythropoiesis in red bone marrow results in the production of RBCs.

6. Iron is removed from heme, non-iron portion of heme is converted to biliverdin, and then into
bilirubin. This enters the blood and is transported to the liver and then to the small and large
intestines.
 White Blood Cells (WBCs)
- WBCs have nuclei and do not contain hemoglobin.
- WBCs are classified as granular or agranular depending on whether or not
they have chemical-filled cytoplasmic granules.
- WBCs function in immunity, fighting off diseases and infections within the
body. Depending on the type of WBC, these will be combatted differently; some
use phagocytosis and while some produce antibodies.
- Red blood cells outnumber white blood cells 700 to 1. The lifespan of a WBC is
only a couple of days. While someone is sick, their WBCs may only have a
lifespan of a couple hours.
 White Blood Cells: Granular Leukocytes
*Granular Leukocytes include neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils.
- Neutrophils are the first responder and carry on phagocytosis, releasing
enzymes that destroy certain bacteria.
- Eosinophils leave the capillaries and enter the interstitial fluid, and then
release enzymes that fight inflammation and allergic reactions. In addition,
eosinophils phagocytize antigen-antibody complexes in order to fight of
some parasitic worms.
- Basophils leave the capillaries, enter tissues, and free heparin, histamine,
and serotonin, which are involved in allergic reactions.
 White Blood Cells: Agranular Leukocytes
*Agranular Leukocytes include lymphocytes and monocytes.
- 3 Types of Lymphocytes: B Cells, T Cells, and Natural Killer Cells.
(a) B Cells develop into plasma cells produce antibodies
(b) T Cells attack viruses, fungi, transplanted cells, cancer cells, and some
bacteria
(c) Natural Killer Cells attack different microbes and arising tumor cells
- Monocytes migrate into infected tissues and develop into wandering
macrophages that phagocytize microbes and clean up cellular debris after
an infection
 Platelets
Stem cells can also become specialized as Platelets

Megakaryocytes splinter into 2k-3k fragments in the

red bone marrow and then enter the bloodstream.

Somewhere between 150k and 400k platelets are in

one L of blood.

Platelets are between 2-4 m in diameter, and have no

nucleus.