Sec 30.5: Blood Flashcards
What is blood?
It is a sticky mixture of cells, cell fragments, and fluid, along with particles of fat, other nutrients, and dissolved gasses
What is plasma?
It is a clear pale yellow fluid that makes up about 55% of the blood - made up of 90% water
What happens to molecules in the plasms?
They dissolve and can be transported throughout the body (i.e. amino acids, glucose, hormones, vitamins, salts, and waste products)
Why is plasma important?
Because the concentration of molecules dissolved in it determines which substances will diffuse in and out of blood in capillaries
How is homeostasis maintained?
The movement of water, gases, nutrients, and ions between capillaries and cells, as well as plasma proteins, maintain it
What are examples of plasma proteins?
Albumin, Fibrinogen, and immune proteins
What is albumin?
It is the most abundant plasma protein (the same substance as in egg white)
What is the main role of albumin?
To stabilize blood volume so that fluid in the blood does not leak out of the vessels
What is fibrinogen?
It is a clotting factor that works with platelets to stop the bleeding after an injury.
How much of all cells in the blood do red blood cells make up?
They make up 40-45% of all cells in the blood
What are mature RBCs shaped like? What are they produced from?
They are shaped like an inner tube with a solid center. They are produced from stem cells in bone marrow
Why do RBCs lose their nuclei?
They gradually fill with hemoglobin and lose their nuclei and other organelles at they mature, so they can no longer divide
What are degraded cells and how long do RBCs circulate before becoming ones?
Degraded cells are discarded RBCs that are carried to the liver and spleen to break up and recycle the cells. The RBCs circulate through the body for about 120 days before degrading.
What is the most important function of RBCs?
To transport O2 to the cells and carry CO2 away
How is O2 transported to cells?
It binds to the hemoglobin in red blood cells and is transported to all cells
What happens to damaged or misshapen RBCs?
They cannot transport O2 effectively.
What is sickle cell disease?
RBC are distorted into crescents and transport less O2 and clump in blood vessels (degraded after 10-20 days)
What defines blood type?
the surface protein markers on RBC
What happens if different protein markers are introduced to a person’s body?
Their immune system will attack the foreign blood cells and cause them to clump, blocking vital blood vessels and resulting in death.
What does an AB Blood group mean?
Both protein markers (A & B) are present, so the person can accept any blood type
What does an O Blood group mean?
No protein marker is present, so the person can donate to any blood type
What does an Rh- factor mean?
Anyone can receive this blood type, but they cannot receive Rh+
What are white blood cells?
They are cells that defend the body against infection and remove foreign material and dead cells (no hemoglobin)
What do phagocytes do?
They surround and ingest microorganisms
