Blood

• Blood


  Complex mixture of cells, water, proteins and sugars
• Functions of blood


  • Transports nutrients, oxygen, and hormones to all parts of the body
  • Helps regulate body temperature
  • Helps maintain stability of the body's fluid volume
  • Transports waste products away from body cells
• Blood makes up 6–8% of our total body weight
• Normal adult blood volume is 5 L
• Plasma


  Fluid portion of blood consisting of water, proteins, salts, nutrients, vitamins, and hormones
• Cellular portion of blood


  Red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets

  
• If some proteins and blood cells were removed from plasma the remaining fluid would be called serum
• Plasma is a clear liquid made up of 92% water and 8% organic and inorganic biochemicals
• Functions of blood


  • Transporting gases (oxygen & carbon dioxide)
  • Transporting waste products
  • Transporting nutrients
  • Helping remove toxins from the body
• Red blood cells (erythrocytes)

  • Shaped as biconcave disks
  • 6-8 micrometers in diameter
  • Lifespan of about 120 days
  • Contain hemoglobin (iron protein) that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body and carbon dioxide to the lungs
• Anemia


  A condition in which red blood cells do not transport enough oxygen to the tissues, caused by a lower-than-normal number of RBCs or abnormal/deficient hemoglobin
• Sickle cell anemia


  A condition where the body does not form normal hemoglobin, causing RBCs to become sickle-shaped, rupture easily, and dam up small blood vessels

  
• Polycythemia


  An excessive or abnormal increase in the number of erythrocytes, which can result from bone marrow cancer or living at high altitudes

  
• White blood cells (leukocytes)

  • Function to destroy foreign substances
  • Two main groups are granulocytes and agranulocytes
  • Largest sized blood cells
  • Lowest numbers in the blood (4,500 – 11,000 per microliter)
  • Formed in the bone marrow and some in lymph glands
  • Primary cells of the immune system
  • Fight disease and foreign invaders
  • Contain nuclei with DNA, the shape depends on type of cell
  • Certain WBCs produce antibodies
  • Life span is from 24 hours to several years
  • Size is 8-20 micrometers in diameter
  • There are five different types: neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, monocytes

  
• Leukemia


  A cancer of the blood and bone marrow where abnormal cells rapidly grow and spill into the bloodstream

  
• Platelets (thrombocytes)


  • Formed in the bone marrow as fragments from the cytoplasm of megakaryocytes
  • Smallest of the blood cells
  • 1-4 micrometers in diameter
  • Shape can be round, oval, or appear spiky
  • Lifespan of around 8-12 days
  • Involved in the clotting process
  • Seal wounds and prevent blood loss
  • Help repair damaged vessels
  • 150,000 – 400,000 per microliter of blood
  • Stain bluish with reddish or purple granules

  
• Blood types


  A, B, AB, O - based on the presence of antigens and antibodies. Type O can donate to all, type AB can receive from all.
• Rh factor


  Positive or negative element found in the blood based on the presence of an antigen first identified in rhesus monkeys. Important during pregnancy.
• Common blood analyses


  • Complete blood count
  • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
  • Blood indices
  • Hematocrit
  • Coomb's test
  • Blood chemistry
  • Blood culture
  • White blood cell differential
  • Hemoglobin
  • Prothrombin time

  
• Dyscrasia


  A general term for any disease of the blood with abnormal material present
• Common types of anemia

  • Iron-deficiency anemia
  • Aplastic anemia
  • Pernicious anemia
  • Sickle cell anemia
  • Hemolytic anemia
  • Posthemorrhagic anemia
• Hemophilia


  A hereditary disorder in which there is a lack of the clotting factor VIII, treated with medications and blood transfusions
• Thrombocytopenia


  A bleeding disorder with a lack of platelets, occurring in the condition called purpura
• Disorders related to substances in the blood

  • Pancytopenia (low number of all blood cells)
  • Erythropenia (low number of red blood cells)
  • Poikilocytosis (irregularly shaped red blood cells)
  • Hemochromatosis (excessive iron buildup)
  • Reticulocytosis (abnormal number of immature red blood cells)
  • Hemolysis (breakdown in red blood cell membrane)
  • Polycythemia (abnormal increase in red blood cells and hemoglobin)
  • Macrocytosis (abnormally large red blood cells)
  • Microcytosis (abnormally small red blood cells)
  • Anisocytosis (red blood cells vary in size and shape)

  
• Leukemia


  A neoplastic disorder in which there is an excessive increase in white blood cells

  
• Granulocytosis


  An abnormal increase of granulocytes in the bloodstream, commonly seen during times of infection

  
• Multiple myeloma


  A malignant tumor of the bone marrow
• Common surgical procedures


  • Bone marrow biopsy
  • Bone marrow transplant
• Pharmacological terms


  • Anticoagulants (prevent blood clotting)
  • Coagulants (aid in blood clotting)
  • Hemostatics (stop blood flow within vessels)
  • Thrombolytics (dissolve blood clots)