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Questions and Answers
What is the primary role of platelets in blood?
Which substance is primarily responsible for maintaining osmotic balance in blood?
What triggers the production of erythropoietin in the kidneys?
Which component of blood is responsible for defending against infections?
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What percentage of blood volume is made up of plasma?
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What role do ions play in blood plasma?
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Which of the following correctly describes the structure of red blood cells?
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What is the primary constituent of blood plasma?
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What is the primary component of hemoglobin responsible for binding oxygen?
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Which situation leads to hemoglobin releasing oxygen?
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What is the first stage of stopping blood loss in case of a cut?
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What happens when a person with Rh negative blood receives Rh positive blood for the second time?
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Which of the following best describes the function of antibodies?
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What is the purpose of applying constant direct pressure on a severe cut?
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Which statement about blood types is accurate?
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What role does bicarbonate play in the blood?
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What happens when a Rh negative woman is pregnant with her first Rh positive baby?
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Why should Rh negative mothers receive RhoGam before the first birth?
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What is a significant consequence of carbon monoxide binding with hemoglobin?
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Which type of anemia results from a deficiency in iron needed for heme formation?
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What occurs when there is a match between donor's antigens and recipient's antibodies?
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What characterizes leukemia in the bloodstream?
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Which type of anemia is characterized by a genetic defect leading to abnormally shaped red blood cells?
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What can result from the extreme blood loss associated with hemorrhagic anemia?
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Study Notes
Functions of Blood
- Transports various substances throughout the body, key for oxygen and CO2 transport
- Maintains body temperature: warm blood moves towards the skin when hot, away from skin when cold
- Contributes to homeostasis by managing pH: blood buffers, including hemoglobin, bind to excess hydrogen ions
- Defends against infection: white blood cells and antibodies fight invaders
- Promotes clotting: platelets and fibrinogen work together to stop excess bleeding
Components of Blood
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Cellular Portion makes up 45% of blood volume
- Red blood cells: transport oxygen and some carbon dioxide
- White blood cells: defend against pathogens and cancerous cells
- Platelets: essential for blood clotting
- All blood cell types are derived from stem cells in red bone marrow
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Plasma makes up 55% of blood volume
- Water: primary component (90%), acts as a solvent
- Ions: pH buffers, critical for cell function and volume, essential for muscle and nerve cells
- Hormones: messages from endocrine glands
- Gases: oxygen (small amounts) and carbon dioxide (majority) dissolved in plasma
- Nutrients: amino acids, glucose, and lipids (often bound to transport proteins)
- Wastes: ammonia, urea, and uric acid, removed by the kidneys
Plasma Proteins
- Albumins: produced by the liver, maintain osmotic balance between blood and interstitial fluid
- Antibodies: produced by white blood cells, bind to foreign substances like bacteria and viruses
- Fibrinogen: produced by the liver, converts to fibrin for blood clotting
Red Blood Cells
- Structure: lack a nucleus and organelles, flattened discs for flexibility
- Life Span: 120 days on average, aged cells are broken down in the liver and spleen
- Iron Recycling: iron from broken down cells is recycled to red bone marrow
- Erythropoietin: hormone that regulates red blood cell production
Homeostasis of Oxygen Carrying Capacity
- Decreased Oxygen: detected by kidney cells, stimulates erythropoietin secretion
- Erythropoietin: increases red blood cell production by stem cells in red bone marrow
- Increased Oxygen: reduces erythropoietin secretion
- High Altitude Training: stimulates erythropoietin production, leading to increased red blood cell count
Hemoglobin
- Each red blood cell contains 300 million hemoglobin molecules, each carrying 1.2 billion oxygen molecules
- Structure: four polypeptide chains (two alpha, two beta), each with a heme group containing iron (Fe)
- Each hemoglobin molecule binds to four oxygen molecules
Hemoglobin and Oxygen Binding
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Factors Favoring Oxygen Binding:
- Higher pH (less acidic)
- High blood oxygen concentration
- Lower temperature (like in lungs)
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Factors Favoring Oxygen Release:
- Lower pH (more acidic)
- Low blood oxygen concentration
- Higher temperature (like in active tissues)
- Carbon dioxide production contributes to lower pH which promotes oxygen release
Stopping Loss of Blood
-
Stages:
- Vascular Spasms: smooth muscle constricts blood vessels to reduce or stop blood flow
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Platelet Plug Formation: seals ruptured blood vessels
- Damaged blood vessels expose collagen that activates platelets
- Platelets become sticky, larger, and "spiky" to bind together
- Platelet contraction helps to close the wound
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Coagulation: formation of a blood clot
- Chemical signals convert soluble fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin
- Fibrin forms a network that traps red blood cells and platelets to create a clot
Blood Types and Antibodies
- Antigens: proteins or glycoproteins on cell membranes
- Antibodies: proteins produced by B lymphocytes that bind to foreign antigens
- Agglutination: occurs when mismatched blood types are transfused, clumps of red blood cells and antibodies can block blood vessels and damage organs
Rh Factor
- Rh Antigen: Rh positive individuals have the Rh antigen, Rh negative individuals do not
- Rh Negative Individuals: can receive Rh positive blood once, but will produce antibodies that cause agglutination upon subsequent exposure to Rh positive blood
- Rh Antibodies: are not naturally present, they are produced in response to exposure to Rh antigens
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Blood Type Compatibility:
- Recipient’s antigens and their potential antibodies are considered
- Agglutination occurs if donor’s antigens match recipient’s antibodies
Rh Factor and Pregnancy
- Rh Negative Mother, Rh Positive Baby (1st pregnancy): baby is typically healthy, but the mother develops anti-Rh antibodies
- Rh Negative Mother, Rh Positive Baby (2nd pregnancy): antibodies cross the placenta and destroy the baby’s red blood cells, potentially causing hemolytic disease of the newborn
- RhoGam: given to the mother before the first birth to destroy the baby’s red blood cells before they trigger an immune response
Blood Disorders
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Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: carbon monoxide competes with oxygen for binding to hemoglobin
- Sources: motor exhaust, burning wood, charcoal, and tobacco
- CO binds strongly to hemoglobin, preventing oxygen binding
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Anemia: reduction in oxygen-carrying capacity causing weakness and fatigue
- Iron Deficiency Anemia: insufficient iron for heme group formation
- Aplastic Anemia: bone marrow fails to produce enough red blood cells
- Hemorrhagic Anemia: severe blood loss
- Sickle Cell Anemia: red blood cells are sickle shaped and destroyed prematurely (genetic)
- Thalassemia: insufficient production of alpha or beta protein chains in hemoglobin (genetic)
Blood Transfusions
- May be necessary for treatment of anemia and other blood disorders
- Iron Overload: can be a complication of frequent transfusions, requiring treatment to remove excess iron
Leukemia
- Cancer of white blood cells, characterized by uncontrolled division
- Abnormal white blood cells displace normal blood cell production
- Can lead to:
- Aplastic anemia
- Impaired clotting
- Immune deficiency
- Eventual death due to:
- Internal bleeding
- Infection
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Description
Explore the essential functions and components of blood in this quiz. Understand how blood transports substances, maintains homeostasis, and defends against infections. Test your knowledge on the role of different blood cells and plasma in maintaining bodily functions.
