Ch 20: The Blood

Discuss the composition of blood including the

functions of the various components
Explain the anatomy and functions of the red blood cells,
including a description of blood typing
Discuss the types of white blood cells found in the blood
and give the functions of each
Give a brief accounting of the platelets
Review hemopoiesis, including RBC and
leukocyte formation
 Functions of Blood

 Distribution - nutrients, wastes,

hormones, gases, etc.

 Self-sealing – hemostasis

 Disease/ infection fighting

 Blood = connective tissue

extracellular specialized cells:

matrix: (= Formed elements)
Plasma
RBCs

WBCs

color ? Platelets
volume ?
Plasma Composition

Transports organic and

inorganic molecules,
formed elements, and heat

 Water 92%
 Plasma proteins 7%
 Other solutes 1%
 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

Difference between Plasma and Interstitial Fluid :

Plasma has more:

 Dissolved O2 O2 diffuses out into tissue
 Dissolved proteins (too big to cross caps.)
» Albumins
» Globulins
–  globulins
–  and  globulins
» Fibrinogen

Similar concentration: Salts & small molecules

 Difference between
plasma and serum?
serum = plasma -
. . . . 2 more things:

Most plasma proteins are made in

liver. Exception: ?

Lipoproteins = particles containing

lipids (cholesterol & triglycerids) and
proteins (albumins & globulins)
Formed Elements
Red and White
Blood Cells
Platelets

 Platelets
.1%
 WBCs

 RBCs 99.9%
Formed Elements cont. Why white blood cells???
 RBCs = Erythrocytes

Measured by hematocrit or PCV

Most abundant blood cell: 1000

RBCs/1 WBC

Contain hemoglobin, carry O2

Very regular shape - biconcave discs

Anucleate: Lifespan ~ 120 days

replacement rate ~ 3 mio RBCs / sec
 Structure of Hemoglobin (Hb)


Fe ion
in heme
group
reversibly
binds O2

How many oxygen

molecules can 1
Hb molecule
carry? 
 ABO & Rh Blood Types
 Blood groups (types) based on
specific RBC surface antigens (=
proteins)

blood type ?

 > 30 common varieties of antigens

known. Most important 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 !

normally NO
anti Rh present
 Transfusion Reaction
Transfusion of incompatible blood can be fatal!

Universal Donor vs.

Universal Recipient
Only for emergencies - must be
given slowly !
Clinical Brief
Anemia: p. 536
Reduced oxygen carrying ability of blood.
Causes??

Polycythemia:
Erythrocytosis: excessive increase in
RBCs
Polycythemia vera:

Blood Doping: p. 545

Via direct transfusion, or
EPO use
 WBCs = Leukocytes
Granulocytes and
Quantity and type determined Agranulocytes
by differential WBC count
Circulating WBCs are only a
small fraction of total WBCs.
Most are located in ?

Diapedesis

Chemotaxis
 Neutrophil (= PMN)

Up to ~ 70% (~ 2/3) of circulating WBCs

Cytoplasm packed with pale granules containing
lysosomal enzymes

phagocytic
 Eosinophil

~ 2% - 4% of circulating WBCs
Granules stain with eosin
Increased in allergies and parasitic infections
 Basophil
 < 1% of circulating WBCs
 Granules stain with basic dyes and contain histamine
 Discharge of histamine promotes inflammation at site
of injury (Similar to mast cells)
 Monocyte
 ~ 2% - 8% of circulating WBCs
 Large kidney shaped nucleus
 In tissue called Macrophage
 Lymphocytes

 ~ 20% - 30% of circulating WBCs

 Relatively small (slightly larger than RBCs)
 Large round nucleus
 B, T, NK
 Platelets = Thrombocytes

Cell fragments of Megakaryocytes

(~ 4,000 thrombocytes per Megakaryocyte)
 ~ 160 m
Lifespan ~ 12 days
involved in blood
clotting
 Abnormal Blood Cell Counts

Leukopenia < 2,500/ L (normal 6000 – 9000)

Leukocytosis > 30,000/ L

Thrombocytopenia: < 80,000/ L (normal ~ 350,000)

Thrombocytosis: > 1,000,000/ L

Also
Lymphopenia vs. _____________
_________vs. Neutrophilia
Hemopoiesis = Blood Cell Formation

Hemocytoblasts: One type of stem cell for all blood cells

. . . then differentiation
into 4 types of
progenitor stem cells:
Erythroblast
Myeloblast Fig 20.8
Monoblast
Lymphoblast

In red bone marrow