Blood and Blood Pressure Flashcards
What is blood?
It is a liquid connective tissue with two main components: Plasma (non-cellular matrix) and Formed elements (cell)
*Most adults have 4-6 L of blood
Describe blood plasma (matrix)?
Is a clear, light yellow fluid constituting a little over half of the blood volume (55%)
What are the formed elements found in blood plasma?
Include:
Red blood cells
White blood cells
Platelets
Describe red blood cells?
erythrocytes
Constitute 37% to 52% of the total volume (value called the hematocrit)
Function: transports O2 and CO2
White blood (leukocytes) cells and platelets?
settle into he buffy coat above the red blood cells, constitute about 1% of blood volume.
WBC function: Defense and immunity
Platelet function: Clotting
Plasma is mostly made of?
Water: 92% by weight, solvent for carrying other substances, absorbs heat
Name the 3 plasma proteins?
- Albumin (60%)
- Globulins (36%)
- Fibrinogen (4%)
Albumin?
60%
Function is to maintain osmotic balance and ph buffering
Globulins?
36%
Roles in transport, clotting and immunity
Fibrinogen?
4%
Role in blood clotting
Other substances found in plasma include?
Nutrients (glucose, fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins)
Waste products of metabolism (urea, uric acid)
Respiratory gases (O2 and CO2)
Hormones
Functions of RBC?
Pick up O2 from lungs and deliver it to tissues elsewhere
Pick up CO2 from tissues and unload it in the lungs
Describe the abundancy of RBC?
The most abundant formed elements of blood
The most critical to survival. It is the deficiency of life-giving oxygen, carried by erythrocytes, that leads rapidly to death in cases of major trauma or hemorrhage.
Hematocrit?
(packed cell volume) is the percentage of whole blood volume composed of RBC’s?
What is erythropoiesis?
the production of erythrocytes
Renal Erythropoietin: is a hormone produced by the kidneys that promotes the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow.
Describe erythrocyte homeostasis?
Hypoxemia (inadequate O2 transport) > sensed by liver and kidneys > secretion of erythropoietin > stimulation of red bone marrow > accelerated erythropoiesis > increased RBC count > increased O2 transport
What is polycythemia?
A disease state in which the proportion of blood volume that is occupied by red blood cells increases
Increase hematocrit > increase viscosity > increase resistance
What is a blood thinner?
A common name for an anticoagulant agent used to prevent the formation of blood clots
They do not thin the blood (reduce viscosity), they prevent it from clotting.
Examples: heparin, warfarin
What are Leukocytes?
The least abundant formed elements
Afford protection against infectious microorganisms and other pathogens
They spend only a few hours in the blood stream, then migrate through the walls of capillaries and venules and spend the rest of their lives in the connective tissue
What are the 5 types of leukocytes?
Neutrophils Eosinophils Basophils Lymphocytes Monocytes
Describe Neutrophils?
found in about 60% of wbc’s
multi-lobed nucleus
granulocytes: contains granules
phagocytize bacteria (acute infections)
Describe Eosinophils?
found in about 2-3% of wbc’s
bi-lobed nucleus
granulocyte
fights off parasites, ie worms (weakly phagocytic)
Describe Basophils?
found in lass than 1% of wbc’s
bi-lobed nucleus, u-shaped, large nucleus
granulocyte (blue/black)
not very common, goes to infection site
secretes histamine (a vasodilator) inflammatory response
secretes heparin (an anticoagulant) promotes mobility of other wbc’s.
Describe Lymphocytes?
found in about 30% of wbc’s
small in size, large nucleus (takes up volume of cell)
agranulocyte (no granules)
mount immune response by direct cell attack via antibodies
destroys cancer cells, infected with viruses and foreign cells
