Blood Flashcards
What is the function of platelets?
The primary role of platelets is blood clotting and stopping bleeding when bood vessels are damaged. When blood clots, the cells stick to each other and prevents blood from passing through the damaged blood vessels.
What is the function of white blood cells?
White blood cells protect the body against invasion by pathogens and foregin substances, remove debris from injured tissue, and aid in the healing process.
What is the function of red blood cells?
The primary function of red blood cells is to carry oxygen from the lungs and deliver it throughout the body. Red blood cells also trasnport waste such as carbon dioxide back to our lungs to be exhaled.
What is plasma?
55% of the volume of blood is the liquid component of blood known as plasma. Plasma is carries water, salts, proteins, nutrients, metabolites, enzymes, and hormones.
What is the solid component of blood?
45% of the volume of blood tissue is the solid component. The solid component is made of red blood cells (erythocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes).
Where does blood cells come from?
All of the blood cells come from bone marrow. They begin their life as stem cells and mature into three types of cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, are platelets.
What are the scientific names for red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
1) Red blood cells: erythrocytes
2) White blood cells: leukocytes
3) Platelets: thrombocytes
What is the function of plasma?
The main role of plasma is to take nutrients, hormones, and proteins to the parts of the body that need it. Cells also put their waste products into the plasma. The plasma then helps remove this waste from the body.
How long does a healthy red blood cell survive for?
Normal red blood cells have an average life span of about 120 days.
What is bone marrow?
Bone marrow is the soft, fatty tissue inside of the bones in the body.
What is the function of hemoglobin in red blood cells?
Hemoglobin contains iron which allows it to pick up oxygen from the air we breathe and deliver it from the lungs to the tissues. Hemoglobin are essentially oxygen transport proteins found in red blood cells.
Why is the shape of red blood cells important to its function?
They have a bi-concave shape which maximizes their surface area to absorb oxygen, they have a thin membrane so gases easily diffuse through, and contain haemoglobin which binds to oxygen. Red blood cells do not have a nucleus which allows their shape to be more flexible and transport and exchange materials more easily.
