What is the composition of whole blood and what is hematocrit?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the composition of whole blood, specifically focusing on hematocrit levels and the components of blood after centrifugation. It presents details about the volume percentage of erythrocytes and the existence of the buffy coat.
Answer
Whole blood: RBCs, WBCs, platelets in plasma. Hematocrit: % of RBCs.
Whole blood is composed of red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets suspended in plasma. Hematocrit is the volume percentage of red blood cells in the blood. Normal hematocrit levels are about 47% ± 5% for men and 42% ± 5% for women.
Answer for screen readers
Whole blood is composed of red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets suspended in plasma. Hematocrit is the volume percentage of red blood cells in the blood. Normal hematocrit levels are about 47% ± 5% for men and 42% ± 5% for women.
More Information
Hematocrit can indicate various health conditions. Lower levels may suggest anemia, while higher levels can indicate dehydration or disorders that increase red blood cell production.
Tips
A common mistake is confusing hematocrit with hemoglobin. Hematocrit measures cell volume percentage, while hemoglobin measures oxygen-carrying capacity.
Sources
- Hematocrit - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Hematocrit Test: What It Is, Levels, High & Low Range - my.clevelandclinic.org
- Composition of the Blood - SEER Training Modules - training.seer.cancer.gov
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