Blood Flashcards
What type of tissue is blood?
Vascular tissue
What is blood made up of?
55% liquid plasma, 45% blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets)
What is the pH of blood?
pH 7.4
What colour is plasma?
Yellow straw colour
What is plasma made up of?
90% H2O, 7% proteins, 3% dissolved materials
What is the function of plasma?
Transport
What is another name for red blood cells?
Erythrocytes
Describe the physical appearance of red blood cells
Biconcave flexible discs
What name is given to an immature red blood cell?
Red blood corpuscle (has nucleus but it is not needed so dissolves)
Where are red blood cells made?
In the red bone marrow
Name three features of red blood cells
No nucleus (no division)
No mitochondria (cellular respiration/ energy)
Haemoglobin
What is the function of red blood cells?
Carry oxygen by red pigment called haemoglobin to become oxyhaemoglobin.
What is haemoglobin made up of?
Iron and protein
How long do red blood cells live?
Up to 4 months
What happens to red blood cells in the liver/ spleen?
Broken up into iron (stored in liver) and protein (make bile pigments biliverdin)
Name a deficiency disease of iron
Anaemia (haemoglobin do not form)
What is another name for platelets?
Thrombocytes
Where are platelets made?
Red bone marrow from white blood cells (megacytes)
Do platelets contain a nucleus?
No
What is the function of platelets?
Clot blood (prevent blood loss and prevent entry of pathogens)
Name a deficiency disease caused by a lack of platelets.
Haemophiliacs lack platelets (clotting agents)
What is another name for white blood cells?
Leucocytes
Where are white blood cells made?
In red bone marrow
Describe the appearance of white blood cells
Larger than red blood cells
No shape and have a nucleus
What is the function of white blood cells?
Defend body against infection (pathogens - disease causing organism)
Name the two different types of white blood cells
Monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes
How do monocytes/ macrophages carry out their function?
Act as scavengers
Digest pathogens by identifying an antigen on surface of pathogen.
What is the name of the process where white blood cells engulf pathogens
Phagocytosis
What is the function of lymphocytes?
Mature in lymph nodes (B lymphocytes) or thymes (T lymphocytes) produce antibodies (protein) in response to a pathogen
How long do lymphocytes live for?
Days or years
How is blood grouped?
Depending on presence or absence of glycoproteins found on surface of red blood cells
What are glycoproteins made up of?
Carbohydrates and proteins
What is the function of glycoproteins?
Act as antigens found on surface of red blood cells
What are the four blood groups?
A, B, AB and O
Which of the blood types is known as the Universal Donor?
Type O
Which of the blood types is known as the Universal Recipient?
Type AB
What does it mean if someone is RH+?
The glycoprotein, rhesus factor is present
What is a risk that can occur if a RH- mother is pregnant a RH+ baby
Could damage red blood cells of developing baby (anaemia, stillborn)
