Blood Flashcards
What is the composition of blood?
- Plasma
- Red Blood Cells (corpuscles)
- Whistle Blood Cells
- Platelets
What is plasma?
The liquid part of blood- pale, golden liquid
What is plasma’s composition?
55% of the blood- 90% water, 7% proteins, 3% dissolved materials
What are the main plasma proteins?
Antibodies and clotting proteins
What is the role of plasma?
To transport dissolved materials e.g heat, minerals
What is serum?
Serum is plasma from which the clotting proteins have been removed. It’s is sometimes used in injections to give someone resistance to disease
Where are red blood cells produced?
The marrow of bones (breast bone, ribs, vertebrae and long bones of arms and legs)
What are red blood corpuscles?
When RBCs are first made and have a nucleus
Do RBCs have a mitochondria?
No
What shape does an RBC membrane have?
Bioconcave shape
What is the purpose of the RBCs bioconcave shape?
To have a larger surface area to transport oxygen
Can RBCs repair themselves?
No
Where are dead RBCs broken down?
The spleen
Where is the iron from RBCs stored?
The liver
What are remaining dead RBCs used for?
RBCs and haemoglobin converted into bile pigments (bilirubin)
What is the role of RBCs?
To transport oxygen
What is a disorder associated with RBCs and haemoglobin?
Anaemia
Where are WBCs made?
Bone marrow
Are WBCs or RBCs larger?
WBCs
What is the role of WBCs?
To defend the body against infection and to fight infection
What is phagocytosis?
When the WBC engulfs the bacteria and digests it, now called a phagocyte
What are the two different types of WBCs?
Lymphocytes and monocytes
Where can lymphocytes mature and be stored?
The lymphatic system, (spleen, lymph nodes, tonsils and thymus gland)
What is the composition of a lymphocyte?
A large round nucleus with very little cytoplasm
How long can a lymphocyte live?
3 months to 10 years
What is the main function of lymphocytes?
To make antibodies that resist infection
What are monocytes?
Large cells that scavenge throughout the body, also digest bacteria (act as phagocytes)
What can monocytes also be called?
Macrophages
How long do monocytes survive?
6-9 days
What is the shape of the monocytes nucleus?
Kidney-shaped nuclei
What is leukaemia?
A form of cancer where WBCs are produced to rapidly and immaturely. They crowd other cells, cause anaemia, increase risk of infection and reduce ability to clot blood
Where are platelets made?
In bone marrow
What are platelets made of?
Broken down megacytes
What is the role of platelets?
To clot the blood, preventing loss of blood and entry of micro-organisms
What are haemophiliacs?
They are unable to produce clotting chemicals, they cannot form blood clots
What is thrombosis?
A blood clot in a blood vessel e.g strokes and heart attacks
What are the two functions of blood?
- Transport- food, waste, hormones, heat and oxygen
- Defence against disease- phagocytes, lymphocytes and platelets
What are the four different blood groups?
A, B, AB, O
What is the universal donor?
Group O, as it’s blood can be given safety to all other groups
What is the Rhesus factor?
A chemical in blood, you can be rhesus positive (Rh+) or rhesus negative (Rh-)
Can rhesus negative blood be given to rhesus positive people?
Yes
