Transports gasses, nutrients, molecules, hormones, and waste products Regulates pH Maintains body temperature Protection against foreign substances Clot formation

Blood is a type of connective tissue, made of formed elements (cells) and plasma (liquid) Total Blood Volume = (women) 4-5 liters (men) 5-6 liters

Plasma makes up 55% of a blood sample Plasma contains 91% Water 7% Proteins 2% Other Stuff

Red blood cells are the most numerous of the blood cells Biconcave disks Lack a nucleus Produced from cells in bone marrow Hemoglobin gives red blood cells their color Red blood cells stay in circulation for 120 days in males and 110 days for females before being destroyed by white blood cells

Transport oxygen from the lungs to various tissues of the body and to assist in the transport of carbon dioxide from the tissue to the lungs. Hemoglobin is responsible for transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide Hemoglobin + Oxygen = Red Hemoglobin – Oxygen = Dark Purple/Red

CO 2 + H 2 O  H + + HCO 3 -

Macrophage destroys old blood cells Heme and Proteins are resused Heme turns into bilirubin a yellow pigment that is released into the liver and taken up by the small intestine Bilirubin is excreted in the urine Jaundice = Yellow skin condition (live disorders)

White blood cells are produced in bone marrow Larger than red blood cells and are colorless (white) no hemoglobin and move by amoeboid movement. Two divisions of leukocytes granulocytes and agranulocytes. Function is to protect the body against foreign invaders by digesting them and destroying them.

Platelets are fragments of other cells Platelets help the clotting process by clumping together and plugging up a site of a wound. Clotting is not always a good thing. Sometimes a small clot will form and block a blood vessel completely. (Blood clot to the brain could cause a stroke.)

Platelet adhesion occurs and binds to site (Von Williebrand’s factor) Platelets release ADP, Thromboxanes, and other chemicals to activate other platelets Platelets bind to Fibrinogen and accumulate to clot.