The Blood Flashcards
What is the blood plasma and what does it do?
Plasma is a yellow liquid that carries all your blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets) suspended in it. It also carries many dissolved substances around your body (carbon dioxide, urea and small soluble products from your intestine.
What do red blood cells do?
The red blood cell’s main function is to carry oxygen from the lungs and deliver it throughout our body. Red blood cells also transport waste such as carbon dioxide back to our lungs to be exhaled.They are packed with a pigment called haemoglobin that binds to oxygen. They have no nucleus makins more space for haemoglobin.
What do red blood cells look like and why is it important?
It has a biconcave disc structure (it is pushed in on both sides). This specific shape means that it has a higher surface area to volume ration increasing rates of diffusion.
What do white blood cells do?
White blood cells form a part of the body’s immune system (defense system against harmfull microorganisms). Some white blood cells (lymphocytes) form antibodies against microorganisms. Some form antioxins against poisons made by microorganisms. Yet others (phagocytes) engulf and dygest invading bacteria and viruses.
What do white blood cells look like?
White blood cells have no nucleus and have a spherical structure.
What are platelets and what do they do?
Platelets are small fragments of cells. They have no nucleus. They are very important in helping the blood to clot at the site of a wound. At the site if a wound a network of protein fibres that capture lots of red blood cells and more platelets to form a jelly like substance that stops your from bleeding to death. This then dries to form a skab.
