Functions of Blood

• Transport

  transport functions of blood inc:

  delivering oxygen from the lungs + nutrients from the digestive tract to all body cells

  transporting metabolic waste products from cells to elimination sites (to the lungs to eliminate CO2 + to the kidneys to dispose of nitrogenous waste in urine

  transporting hormones from the endocrine organs to their target organs
• Regulation - Body Temperature

  maintaining appropriate body temp by absorbing + distributing heat thru out the body + to the skin surface to encourage heat loss
• Regulation - pH Maintenance

  maintaining norm pH in body tissues

  many blood proteins + other bloodborne solutes act as buffers to prevent excessive/abrupt changes in blood pH that could jeopardise norm cell activities

  blood also acts as the reservoir for the body's alkaline reserve of bicarbonate ions
• Regulation - Maintenance of Cardiovascular Fluid Volume

  maintaining adequate fluid volume in the circulatory system

  blood proteins prevent excessive fluid loss from the bloodstream into the tissue spaces

  as a result, the fluid volume in the blood vessels remain ample to support efficient blood circulation to all parts of the body
• Protection

  protective functions of blood inc:

  preventing blood loss - when a blood vessel is damaged, platelets + plasma proteins initiate clot formation, halting blood loss

  preventing infection - w in blood r antibodies, complement proteins + leukocytes, all of which help defend the body against foreign invaders like bacteria + viruses