Ch. 12: Blood
Reading Guide
1. What are the functions of blood?
Transports nutrients, oxygen, wastes, and hormones
Maintains stability of interstitial fluids
Distributes heat
2. Where do blood cells form?
Red bone marrow
3. Blood volume in average adult-
5 Liters
4. Composition of blood
45% cells (hematocrit), mostly red
55% plasma—mixture of water, nutrients, chemicals
5. Describe red blood cells by shape, content, count, and function.
Erythrocytes—biconcave discs—
shape allows them to transport gases (more surface area for gas diffusion)—Each cell is 1/3 hemoglobin that carries oxygen
Bright red blood—oxyhemoglobin (cell has oxygen)
Dark red blood-deoxyhemoglobin (oxygen is released)
Red blood cells can’t divide once mature.
Count: 4.6-6.2 mil/cu mm for males, 4.2-5.4 mil/cu mm for females
Note:
Low concentration of oxygen in blood can make it appear blue through the skin. We do not have blue blood.
6. What are biliverdin and bilirubin?
When hemoglobin is broken down into heme (iron) and globin (protein), the heme breaks down into iron and biliverdin (green pigment). Iron and protein can be transported to red bone marrow to form more hemoglobin or stored in the liver.
Biliverdin is converted to orange bilirubin and excreted as bile.
7. White blood cells: count, functions
Leukocytes-protect against disease by phagocytizing bacteria or producing antibodies
Types—granulocytes-neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils –made in red bone marrow, short life spans
Agranulocytes-monocytes, lymphocytes—formed in rbm and lymphatic organs
Norm.=5000-10000 cells—rise in number may signal infection present
Over 10000= leukocytosis, which signals acute infection
Under 5000-leukopenia—disease like AIDS, chicken pox
8. Leukemia—causes and symptoms
Cancer of WBC’s-Uncontrolled cell division in marrow--Too few RBC’s, too many WBC’s
Flu-like symptoms, abnormal bleeding, pain
9. Platelets-describe, count, function
AKA-Thrombocytes-cell fragments-130000-360000—help close breaks in vessels and initiate clotting
10. Plasma—describe the three groups of proteins
Albumins- 60%-smallest, made in liver, osmotic pressure of plasma
Globulins-36%-transport lipids and vitamins, produce antibodies
Fibrinogens-4%-made in liver-blood coagulation (clots)
11. Nutrients and gases in plasma
Nutrients-amino acids, sugars (glucose), lipids, proteins
Gases-oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen
12. Plasma electrolytes—examples and purpose
Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate, sulfate ions—absorbed from intestines, released from cell metabolism, regulate blood concentrations
13. What is hemostasis?
Stoppage of bleeding
14. Describe the three steps in the process of hemostasis.
a. Blood vessel spasm
b. Platelet plug formation
c. Blood coagulation (clotting)
15. Thrombus-blood clot in vessel
16. Embolus-blood clot carried by blood flow (breaks loose)
17. Atherosclerosis-clogging of the arteries
18. What happens to someone who receives a transfusion of the wrong blood type? Agglutination (clumping) of red blood cells because of the antigen/antibody reaction, anxiety, breathing probs, facial flushing, headache and other pains, jaundice, kidney failure
19. Hemophilia-an inherited clotting disorder caused by a person lacking a coagulation protein
20. Describe why someone has a blood type.
Human red blood cells contain an antigen combination—only A, only B, only AB, neither A or B. They also contain the antibodies for the opposite—People with only A antigens have anti-B antibodies. The antibody acts with the antigen of the same letter to cause clumping. Type AB is universal recipient (contain no antibodies), type O is the universal donor (contains no antigens).
21. What is the Rh blood group? Human blood contains several Rh antigens. If they are on the red blood cells, the blood is Rh positive. If a person is Rh negative, they don’t form Rh antibodies until exposure to Rh antigens—through transfusion or pregnancy. The first exposure results in only formation of antibodies—no bad results. The second exposure results in memory, causing blood clotting (transfusion) or an attack on the fetal red blood cells.
22. What are two ways that Rh incompatibility can arise? (see above)
Blood Typing Game
http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/bloodtypinggame/game/index.html