Blood Flashcards
What are the 4 components of blood?
- Plasma
- Erythrocytes
- Leukocytes
- Thrombocytes
What are erythrocytes known as?
Red blood cells
What are leukocytes known as?
White blood cells
What are thrombocytes known as?
Platelets
What substance makes up the most of the blood?
Plasma 55%
What substance makes up the second highest?
Erythrocytes 45%
What is the function of plasma?
Carries the other components of blood and salts and enzymes
What is the highest substance in plasma?
92% water
What does plasma look like?
A light yellow liquid
What is the function of erythrocytes?
Allows blood cells to carry oxygen
What are erythrocytes filled with that allows them to carry oxygen?
Haemoglobin - protein which pigments blood
What is the function of leukocytes?
Protects/ fights against infections
What do the 3 types of leukocytes do?
- Ingests pathogens by phagocytosis & destroys them
- Produce antibodies to destroy particular pathogens
- Produce antitoxins that counteract toxins released by pathogens
What is the function of thrombocytes?
Stop bleeding by clotting blood vessel injuries
What are the blood groups?
A, B, O & rhesus
What are blood groups determined by?
Specific elements found on the surface of red blood cells
What is an antigen?
A protein coating surface of an erythrocyte that can stimulate an immune response
What is an antibody?
Proteins carried in the blood plasma that react with antigens and erythrocytes
What happens if antibodies bind to antigens on the surface of the red blood cells?
Cells agglutinate (clump together)
What are the type of erythrocytes and plasma needed for blood type A?
Erythrocytes: antigen A
Plasma: anti-B antibodies
What are the type of erythrocytes and plasma needed for blood type B?
Erythrocytes: antigen B
Plasma: anti-A antibodies
What are the type of erythrocytes and plasma needed for blood type AB?
Erythrocytes: antigens AB
Plasma: either anti-A or anti-B antibodies
What are the type of erythrocytes and plasma needed for blood type O?
Erythrocyte: neither antigen A or B
Plasma: both anti-A and anti-B antibodies
When when was blood groups discovered and by who?
1901 - Karl Landsteiner
What does it mean when you are rhesus positive?
You have another antigen that is also found in rhesus monkeys 85%
What does it mean when you are rhesus negative?
You do not have the antigen that rhesus monkeys have 15%
