Blood Flashcards
What are the two main components of blood?
✔️Plasma
(non-living fluid matrix)
✔️Formed Elements
(living blood “cells” suspended in plasma)
What type of tissue is ‘Blood’?
Connective Tissue
The only “true cells” that are considered blood cells are _______.
Leukocytes
A spun tube of blood yields what percentages of what three layers?
55% Plasma (least dense)
1% Buffy Coat
45% Formed Elements (Erythrocytes)
What is the composition of plasma?
1⃣ 90% Water
2⃣ Solutes
✔️ 8% Plasma Proteins
• 60% Albumin
• 36% Globulins
*alpha, beta, gamma
•4% Fibrinogen
✔️Non-Protein Nitrogenous Substances
- Nutrients
- Electrolytes
- Respiratory Gases
- Hormones
Name the
Three (3)
Main Functions of Blood
- Distribution
- Regulation
- Protection
Name the
Three (3)
Distribution Functions of Blood
- Delivery to All Body Cells:
✔️Oxygen from Lungs
✔️Nutrients from Digestive Tract - Transport Metabolic Waste From Cells to Elimination Sites:
✔️Carbon Dioxide to Lungs
✔️Nitrogenous Wastes to Kidneys (Urine) - Transporting Hormones
✔️From Endocrine Glands to Target Organs
Name the Three (3) Regulatory Functions of Blood
- Maintain appropriate body temperature
- Maintain normal pH in tissues
(7. 35 - 7.45) - Maintain adequate fluid volume in the Circulatory System
Blood acts as a reservoir for the body’s __________________ of bicarbonate atoms.
Alkaline Reserve
___________ and ___________ act to prevent excessive fluid loss from the bloodstream into the tissue spaces.
Salts and Blood Proteins
Name the Two (2) Protective Functions of Blood
- Preventing Blood Loss
2. Preventing Infection
How does blood protect the body from blood loss?
When a blood vessel is damaged, platelets and plasma proteins initiate clot formation, halting blood loss.
How does the blood function in protecting the body against infection?
Blood carries antibodies, complement proteins, and white blood cells, which help defend the body against bacteria and viruses.
What is the most common plasma protein and what is it’s percentage of the plasma proteins?
Albumin; makes up 60% of plasma proteins
Where is Albumin produced and what is it’s function?
✔️Produced By the Liver
✔️Important Blood Buffer
✔️Main Contributor to Osmotic Pressure (helps to keep water in bloodstream)
✔️Carries Certain Molecules Through Circulation
Which two (2) body systems are primarily called into action when the blood becomes too acidic (acidosis)?
- Respiratory System
2. Kidneys
What is the Hematocrit?
Percentage of blood volume that is RBC’s
Name the Three (3) Formed Elements of Blood
- Erythrocytes (RBC’s)
- Leukocytes (WBC’s)
- Platelets
Erythrocyte
RBC
✔️Functions in gas transport
✔️”Bags” of Hemoglobin (Hb)
✔️Lack nucleus (anucleate)
✔️Biconcave shape
Hematocrit Value for Males
47% +/- 5%
Hematocrit Value for Females
42% +/- 5%
Blood Volume makes up ____% of body weight.
8%
Normal Range of Blood pH
pH 7.35 - 7.45
Blood color varies based on _____________.
Oxygen Content
(High O2 = Bright/Scarlet Red)
(Low O2 = Dark Red)
Average Blood Volume for Males
5 - 6 Liters
Average Blood Volume for Females
4 - 5 Liters
What structural characteristics of the Erythrocyte contribute to gas transport?
✔️Biconcave shape
✔️97% Hemoglobin
✔️Anaerobic ATP production/No Mitochondria
(Do not consume the O2 they transport)
Define Spectrin
A plasma membrane protein that provides the Erythrocytes with the flexibility to change shape as they pass through tiny capillaries.
The blood cell that can become an antibody-secreting cell is the ________________.
Lymphocyte
Normal RBC Value for Males
13 - 18g / 100 ml
Normal RBC Value for Females
12 - 16g / 100 ml
Which plasma protein is involved in immunity?
Gamma Globulins
Name the Eight (8) Functions of Blood
- Deliver O2 and nutrients to cells
- Transport metabolic waste to lungs and kidneys
- Transport hormones from endocrine organs to target organs
- Maintain body temperature by absorbing and distributing heat
- Maintain normal pH by using buffers (alkaline reserve of bicarbonate ions)
- Maintain fluid volume in circulatory system
- Prevent blood loss by the initiation of clot formation via plasma proteins and platelets
- Prevent infection via antibodies, WBC’s, and complement proteins
Which body organ is responsible for the production of plasma proteins?
Liver
What is the significance of he RBC’s biconcave shape?
It is the most efficient design to release oxygen due to its large surface area relative to volume.
How many iron atoms are carried by a hemoglobin molecule?
Four (4) Iron Atoms
Hemoglobin Structure:
“Heme”
✔️ is the “iron part”
✔️Pigment bonded to each “Globin” Chain which gives blood it’s red color
✔️Central iron atom binds one O2
Hemoglobin Structure:
“Globin”
✔️ is the “Protein Part”
✔️ Carries some CO2
✔️ Composed of 4 polypeptide chains
• 2 Alpha and 2 Beta
Each RBC contains ___________ Hb molecules.
250 Million
O2 loading in lungs produces _________________.
Oxyhemoglobin (ruby red)
O2 unloading in tissues produces ____________________.
Deoxyhemoglobin (dark red)
a.k.a.
Reduced Hemoglobin
CO2 loading in tissues results in ___________________________.
20% of CO2 in blood binds to Hb =
Carbaminohemoglobin
Define Hematopoiesis
Blood cell formation in red bone marrow
Red bone marrow is found in the _________, ___________, and _______________________ of the _____________ and _____________.
✔️Axial Skeleton
✔️Girdles
✔️Proximal Epiphyses of the Humerus and Femur
Define Hemocytoblasts
✔️Hematopoietic Stem Cells
✔️Give rise to all formed elements
✔️Committed cells CANNOT change
Stages of Erythropoiesis:
Red Blood Cell Production
- Myeloid Stem Cell
- Proerythroblast
Then, in 15 days…
- Basophilic
- Polychromatic
- Orthochromatic Erythroblasts
- Reticulocytes
Then, enter bloodstream; within 2 days…
- Mature RBC’s
During Erythropoiesis, at what stage is the nucleus ejected from the cell?
Phase 3: Orthochromatic
During Erythropoiesis, what is the name given to the cell when it becomes “committed”?
Proerythroblast
What is an indication of the rate at which RBC’s are forming?
Reticulocyte Count
During Erythropoiesis, at which phase is the ribosome synthesized?
Phase 1: Basophilic Erythroblast
During Erythropoiesis, at which stage does the accumulation of hemoglobin occur?
Phase 2: Polychromatic Erythroblast
All formed elements arise from the stem cell, the _________________.
Hemocytoblast
When oxygen binds to iron, the hemoglobin is now called __________________.
Oxyhemoglobin
When oxygen detaches from iron, and hemoglobin resumes it’s former shape, it is then called __________________.
Deoxyhemoglobin
When 20% of CO2 transported in the blood combines with hemoglobin, binding to ‘Globin’s’ amino acids, rather than the ‘Heme’ group, it forms _________________.
Carbaminohemoglobin
Once a cell is “committed” to a specific blood cell pathway, it’s “commitment” is signaled by ______________________________.
The appearance of membrane surface receptors that respond to specific hormones or growth factors which then push the cell toward further specialization.
Hormonal Controls:
The direct stimulus for Erythrocyte formation is provided by __________________________ .
Erythropoietin (EPO)
Glycoprotein Hormone
Hormonal Controls:
The _______________ play a major role in Erythropoietin (EPO) production.
Kidney’s
Hormonal Controls:
Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF)
An intracellular signaling molecule whose accumulation accelerates the synthesis and release of EPO when kidney cells become hypoxic (inadequate oxygen).
The drop in normal blood O2 that triggers EPO formation can result from…
- __________________
- __________________
- __________________
- Reduced RBC’s due to hemorrhage or excessive RBC destruction
- Iron deficiency (insufficient hemoglobin per RBC)
- Reduced O2 availability (high altitudes or pneumonia)
Name the Three (3) Essential Nutrients Needed for Hemoglobin Production
- Iron
- Vitamin B12
- Folic Acid
Lifespan of RBC’s
120 Days
Since “Free” Iron is toxic to the body, it is stored in the organ known as the ________________ and is transported via the ________________ cells.
✔️Liver
✔️RBC’s
Define Homostasis
Prevention of blood loss
The Three (3) Major Phases of Hemostasis
- Vascular Spasm
- Platelet Plug Formation
- Coagulation
Platelets
✔️Fragments of Megakaryocytes
✔️Formed in Red Bone Marrow
✔️Central role in clotting
Leukocytes
WBC
✔️ Originate from Hemocytoblasts
✔️ Production stimulated by 2 chemical messengers from red bone marrow and mature WBC’s
✔️ Defend against disease
✔️ Two Main Categories:
- Granulocytes
- Agranulocytes
Granulocytes
✔️ Neutrophils
✔️ Basophils
✔️ Eosinophils
Agranulocytes
✔️ Lymphocytes
✔️ Monocytes
Neutrophils
✔️ Most numerous WBC
✔️ Very phagocytic “Bacteria Slayers”
✔️ Also called Poly’s
✔️ Contain Hydrolytic Enzymes (Defensins)
✔️ 3-6 Lobed Nucleus
✔️ Granules stain Lilac
Eosinophils
✔️ Enzymes digest parasitic worms
✔️ Role in Allergies and Asthma
✔️ Role in modulating immune
response
✔️ Bilobed nucleus
✔️ Granules stain Red
Basophils
✔️ Most rare WBC
✔️ Contain histamine
✔️ Granules stain Purplish-Black
✔️ Function similar to Mast Cells
Lymphocyte
✔️ 2nd most numerous WBC
✔️ Crucial to immunity
✔️ Large, circular, purple, nucleus
✔️ Mostly found in Lymphoid tissue
✔️ Cytoplasm thin rim; stains Blue
Monocytes
✔️ Largest WBC
✔️ U or Kidney-shaped nucleus
✔️ Become Macrophages
✔️ Activate lymphocytes to mount immune response
✔️ Cytoplasm stains Pale Blue
Define Histamine
Inflammatory chemical that acts as a vasodilator to attract WBC’s to sites of inflammation.
(Released by Basophils)
Since free iron ions are toxic to the body, they are stored in cells as _____________ and _____________.
Ferritin and Hemosiderin
Because free iron ions are toxic, they are transported in the blood, bound to the protein, ____________.
Transferrin
Define Fibrinolysis
The digestion of unneeded clots when tissue healing has occurred.
Note: Since small clots are formed continuously in vessels throughout the body, Fibrinolysis is crucial in preventing the vessels from becoming gradually blocked completely.
What is the purpose of vascular spasms and the accumulation of platelets at the site of vessel injury?
The smooth muscle spasms and platelet plug provide temporary means of stopping/slowing blood loss until coagulation occurs.
Which two vitamins are essential to blood clot formation (coagulation)?
Calcium and Vitamin K
Define Plasmin
The Clot-Buster!!!
A fibrin-digesting enzyme that is produced when the plasma protein, plasminogen, is activated.
Define Heparin
✔️ A natural anticoagulant contained in basophils, mast cell granules, and on the surface of endothelial cells.
✔️ Inhibits thrombin
✔️ Inhibits intrinsic pathway
Causes of Anemia:
What Are the Three (3) Groups?
- Blood Loss
- Low RBC Production
- High RBC Destruction
List the WBC’s from most abundant to least abundant in the blood.
Neutrophils Leukocytes Monocytes Eosinophils Basophils
(Never Let Monkeys Eat Bananas)
Leukocytes leave capillaries via _________________ and move through tissue spaces by ameboid motion and _________________.
✔️Diapedesis
✔️Positive Chemotaxis
The production of Leukocytes (WBC’s) is called ________________.
Leukopoiesis
Leukopenia
Abnormally low WBC count
Leukemia
✔️ Overproduction of abnormal WBC’s (Cancer)
✔️ All fatal if untreated
✔️Acute: Affects children via stem cells
✔️ Chronic: Affects adults
Two Types of Lymphocytes
(T-Cells = Soldiers)
T-Lymphocytes: Fight virus-infected cells and tumor cells
(B-Cells = Armory/Build Weapons)
B-Lymphocytes: Give rise to plasma cells, which produce antibodies
Define Procoagulant
Clotting factors made of proteins
Three (3) Phases of Coagulation
- Prothrombin activator formed in both pathways.
- Prothrombin converted to the enzyme Thrombin.
- Thrombin converts the protein plasma Fibrinogen to Fibrin.
Fibrin strands form the “net” and cause plasma to become gel-like which traps formed elements.
Note: Need Calcium & Vitamin K
Three (3) Stages of Hemostasis
- Vascular Spasm:
•Smooth muscle contracts causing vasoconstriction. - Platelet Plug Formation:
•Injury to lining of vessel exposes Collagen Fibers to which Platelets adhere.
•Platelets release chemicals that make nearby Platelets sticky.
•The Platelet Plug forms. - Coagulation:
•Fibrin forms a mesh that traps RBC’s and Platelets, forming the clot.
What body organ is also referred to as the “red blood cell graveyard”?
Spleen
During the destruction of a dying RBC, the hemoglobin is broken down into what three parts?
- ‘Heme’ (red pigment) is broken down into another pigment called Bilirubin (yellow), which is then released to the blood and binds to albumin for transport.
Bilirubin is picked up by liver cells, which secrete it into the intestine, where it’s metabolized to urobilinogen.
Most of this degraded pigment leaves the body in feces, as a brown pigment called stercobilin. - ‘Globin’ is metabolized or broken down to amino acids which are then released into circulation.
- It’s core of iron is salvaged, bound to protein (as Ferritin or Hemosiderin), and stored for reuse.
The Life of a RBC
- Low Blood O2 stimulates kidney production of EPO
- EPO levels rise in blood
- EPO & raw materials in blood promote RBC formation in red bone marrow
- New RBC’s enter bloodstream (live for 120 days)
- Aged/Damaged RBC’s are engulfed by macrophages of liver, spleen, and bone marrow; Hemoglobin is broken down
- Raw materials are made available in blood for RBC synthesis
