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Questions and Answers
What is the primary function of erythrocytes in blood?
What is the primary function of erythrocytes in blood?
Which plasma protein is primarily responsible for maintaining colloid osmotic pressure?
Which plasma protein is primarily responsible for maintaining colloid osmotic pressure?
What role do leukocytes play in the blood?
What role do leukocytes play in the blood?
What is the primary role of fibrinogen in blood composition?
What is the primary role of fibrinogen in blood composition?
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Which component of blood constitutes the buffy coat?
Which component of blood constitutes the buffy coat?
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How does the blood help in regulation of body temperature?
How does the blood help in regulation of body temperature?
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Which type of globulin functions primarily as antibodies?
Which type of globulin functions primarily as antibodies?
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What is NOT a function of blood?
What is NOT a function of blood?
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Which of the following is NOT a constituent of blood?
Which of the following is NOT a constituent of blood?
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What percentage of whole blood is made up of plasma?
What percentage of whole blood is made up of plasma?
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Study Notes
Blood Functions
- Blood performs transport, regulation, and protection functions.
- Transport: Carries oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), hormones, nutrients, and wastes.
- Regulation: Maintains pH balance, body temperature, fluid balance, and electrolyte balance.
- Protection: Defends against foreign substances (including microorganisms) and stops bleeding (hemostasis).
Blood Constituents
- Blood is composed of plasma and cellular elements.
- Plasma: Forms 55-60% of whole blood, primarily water (91%). Also contains inorganic components (e.g., Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, HCO3-, HPO4-, etc.) and organic components (e.g., proteins, hormones, vitamins, lipids, glucose, amino acids, urea, uric acid, etc.).
- Cellular elements: Erythrocytes (red blood cells), leukocytes (white blood cells), and platelets. These account for 40-45% of whole blood.
Plasma Proteins
- Albumins: Transport various substances and contribute significantly to plasma's colloid osmotic pressure.
- Globulins (α & β): Important in blood clotting and transporting substances; gamma globulins are antibodies.
- Fibrinogen: An inactive precursor for the fibrin meshwork in blood clots.
Erythrocytes (Red Blood Cells)
- Most abundant blood cells.
- Biconcave discs, anucleated (no nucleus), and lack organelles.
- Filled with hemoglobin (Hb) for oxygen transport.
- Life Span: ~120 days.
- Average size: ~7.5 μm in diameter.
- Shape: Biconcave disc.
- Shape and flexible cell membrane are vital for efficient gas exchange.
- Removed from circulation by the spleen.
- About 5 million per mm³.
Hemoglobin (Hb)
- Hemoglobin is made up of heme and globin.
- Heme contains iron groups that bind to oxygen.
- Globin is a protein made up of four polypeptide chains(2 α and 2 β).
- Each hemoglobin molecule can carry four molecules of oxygen (O2).
- Normal Hb content: 16 g/dL in men and 14 g/dL in women.
- Transportation of oxygen is the primary function.
Oxygenated and Deoxygenated Blood
- Oxygenated blood appears red due to its iron content.
- Deoxygenated blood appears bluish.
- 98.5% of O2 is carried by hemoglobin.
Hematopoiesis (Hemopoiesis)
- Blood cell production occurs in bone marrow.
- Two types: Erythropoiesis (RBC formation) and Leukopoiesis (WBC formation).
- Hypoxia (low oxygen in the blood) stimulates the kidneys to secrete erythropoietin, a hormone that regulates RBC production.
Anemia
- Anemia results from reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of blood.
- Symptoms: Decreased RBC count and Hemoglobin levels.
- Consequences: Low oxygen delivery to tissues.
- Causes: Reduced erythropoiesis, loss of erythrocytes, low hemoglobin, or hemolysis (RBC destruction).
- Normal Hb levels: 13 g/dL in adult men, 12 g/dL in adult non-pregnant women, 11 g/dL in adult pregnant women, 12 g/dL in children above 6 years old, and 11 g/dL in children below 6 years old.
Causes of Anemia
- Decreased erythropoiesis
- Blood loss (hemorrhagic anemia)
- Low hemoglobin (nutritional anemia)
- Destruction of red blood cells (hemolytic anemia)
Blood Group Systems
- ABO system: Based on antigens (A, B) on red blood cells and corresponding antibodies (anti-A, anti-B) in plasma.
- Blood types: A, B, AB, O
- Universal receiver: AB
- Universal donor: O
- Rh system: Determined by the presence or absence of the Rh antigen (D antigen) on red blood cells.
- Blood types: Rh+, Rh-
- Rh incompatibility can lead to serious complications in pregnancy
- Other minor systems exist.
Cross-Matching
- Crucial procedure before blood transfusion to ensure compatibility between donor and recipient blood.
- Involves mixing donor red blood cells with recipient plasma to check for compatibility.
- No reaction (no agglutination) signifies compatibility. A reaction indicates incompatibility.
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