Blood
Liquid form is connective tissue and is a red red nutritive fluid that circulates in a closed system of blood
vessels. Arises from the mesoderm. The main function is to deliver oxygenated blood to tissues and to return
venous blood to the lungs for gaseous exchange. Other Functions include
1. O2 and COz exchange - Carry oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and carbon dioxide from the
tissues to the lungs
2. Nutrition - Transport food materials and nutrients throughout the body
3. Excretion - Carry waste products of metabolism from the different body organs to different excretory
organs
4. Body protection - Act as a defense mechanism against infection through the activities of certain cells
and immune bodies in the blood stream
5. Assist in the maintenance of a constant body temperature and alkalinity of tissues
6. Transport endocrine secretions from one organ to another
General characteristics
Color
● Red due to hemoglobin
● Aerial blood > oxygenated > bright red
● Venous blood > unoxygenated > dark red/ purplish red
Volume
● 5 to 6 liters
● 7% to 8% of body weight
● 75ml to 85ml of bld./ kg of body weight
● Normovolemia
○ normal blood volume in the body
● Hypervolemia
, ○ Excessive fluid intake blood (hemorrhage)
○ Intravenous injection of fluid (hemolytic anemia)
○ Blood transfusion (treatment)
● hypovolumia
○ Loss of whole blood
○ Loss of RBC
○ Loss of plasma
○ Loss of water (sweating, diarrhea, vomiting)
Reaction
● Slightly alkaline pH 7.35 - 7.45 average is 7.4
Viscosity
● Highly viscous
● 3.5 - 4.5 X thicker than water
● fluid's resistance to flow because of the presence of plasma protein and cells
Specific gravity
● Ratio of the weight of the volume of blood to the weight of the same volume of water held at a
temperature of 4°C
● 1.045 - 1.065 average 1.055
○ cells present in the blood is responsible for increase of specific gravity
○ men have a higher specific gravity of blood due to higher RBC count
Composition of blood:
1. Liquid portion of blood (55%)
a. plasma
Plasma is the liquid vehicle of the blood, the intercellular substance of the blood. Plasma is
transparent yellow and transports all nutritive materials. Plasma is essentially an aqueous
solution of inorganic salts, which is constantly exchanged with the extracellular fluid of body
tissues.
b. serum
Composition of plasma and serum: water, protein, carbohydrates, salts, vitamins, minerals,
electrolytes, hormones, enzymes, lipids
2. Solid portion of blood (45%)
a. cellular elements - RBC, WBC,Blood platelets
b. non cellular elements - chylomicrons,hemoconia or blood dust
, Gases
● O2 and COz
Red blood corpuscles/ erythrocytes
RBC is a minute corpuscle lacking nucleus, mitochondria and other cellular organelles. The major function of
erythrocytes is the transportation of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Morphology:
● Size
○ 7.5 - 8 micra (Normocyte)
○ Anisocytosis - variation in size (Microcyte, Macrocyte, and Megalocyte)
● Shape
○ Biconcave (in order to provide RBC with a large surface-to- volume ratio thus facilitating gas
exchange),non nucleated,non motile disk; in profile view (dumb bell shape)
○ Poikilocytosis - variation in shape
● Staining
○ Acidophilic - due to hemoglobin; central area lightly stained (Normochromic)
○ Anisochromia - variation in color (Hypochromic, Hyperchromic)
Hemoglobin
This is a conjugated protein responsible for acidophilic appearance of RBC; respiratory pigment; 35% of RBC.
It is the carrier of oxygen and carbon dioxide and 1 gram hgb carries 1.34 ml of oxygen.
Normal value
● Female = 12 - 16 gm/100 ml of blood (120 - 160 gm/l)
● Male = 14 - 17 gm/100 ml of blood (140 - 170 gm/l)
The normal concentration of RBC in females is approximately 4.8 to 5.5 M/cumm and in male is about 5.5 to
6.5 M/cumm. Human erythrocytes survive in the circulation for about 120 days.
Blood is found in these parts of the body
● Heart
● Major arteries
● Arterioles
Liquid form is connective tissue and is a red red nutritive fluid that circulates in a closed system of blood
vessels. Arises from the mesoderm. The main function is to deliver oxygenated blood to tissues and to return
venous blood to the lungs for gaseous exchange. Other Functions include
1. O2 and COz exchange - Carry oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and carbon dioxide from the
tissues to the lungs
2. Nutrition - Transport food materials and nutrients throughout the body
3. Excretion - Carry waste products of metabolism from the different body organs to different excretory
organs
4. Body protection - Act as a defense mechanism against infection through the activities of certain cells
and immune bodies in the blood stream
5. Assist in the maintenance of a constant body temperature and alkalinity of tissues
6. Transport endocrine secretions from one organ to another
General characteristics
Color
● Red due to hemoglobin
● Aerial blood > oxygenated > bright red
● Venous blood > unoxygenated > dark red/ purplish red
Volume
● 5 to 6 liters
● 7% to 8% of body weight
● 75ml to 85ml of bld./ kg of body weight
● Normovolemia
○ normal blood volume in the body
● Hypervolemia
, ○ Excessive fluid intake blood (hemorrhage)
○ Intravenous injection of fluid (hemolytic anemia)
○ Blood transfusion (treatment)
● hypovolumia
○ Loss of whole blood
○ Loss of RBC
○ Loss of plasma
○ Loss of water (sweating, diarrhea, vomiting)
Reaction
● Slightly alkaline pH 7.35 - 7.45 average is 7.4
Viscosity
● Highly viscous
● 3.5 - 4.5 X thicker than water
● fluid's resistance to flow because of the presence of plasma protein and cells
Specific gravity
● Ratio of the weight of the volume of blood to the weight of the same volume of water held at a
temperature of 4°C
● 1.045 - 1.065 average 1.055
○ cells present in the blood is responsible for increase of specific gravity
○ men have a higher specific gravity of blood due to higher RBC count
Composition of blood:
1. Liquid portion of blood (55%)
a. plasma
Plasma is the liquid vehicle of the blood, the intercellular substance of the blood. Plasma is
transparent yellow and transports all nutritive materials. Plasma is essentially an aqueous
solution of inorganic salts, which is constantly exchanged with the extracellular fluid of body
tissues.
b. serum
Composition of plasma and serum: water, protein, carbohydrates, salts, vitamins, minerals,
electrolytes, hormones, enzymes, lipids
2. Solid portion of blood (45%)
a. cellular elements - RBC, WBC,Blood platelets
b. non cellular elements - chylomicrons,hemoconia or blood dust
, Gases
● O2 and COz
Red blood corpuscles/ erythrocytes
RBC is a minute corpuscle lacking nucleus, mitochondria and other cellular organelles. The major function of
erythrocytes is the transportation of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Morphology:
● Size
○ 7.5 - 8 micra (Normocyte)
○ Anisocytosis - variation in size (Microcyte, Macrocyte, and Megalocyte)
● Shape
○ Biconcave (in order to provide RBC with a large surface-to- volume ratio thus facilitating gas
exchange),non nucleated,non motile disk; in profile view (dumb bell shape)
○ Poikilocytosis - variation in shape
● Staining
○ Acidophilic - due to hemoglobin; central area lightly stained (Normochromic)
○ Anisochromia - variation in color (Hypochromic, Hyperchromic)
Hemoglobin
This is a conjugated protein responsible for acidophilic appearance of RBC; respiratory pigment; 35% of RBC.
It is the carrier of oxygen and carbon dioxide and 1 gram hgb carries 1.34 ml of oxygen.
Normal value
● Female = 12 - 16 gm/100 ml of blood (120 - 160 gm/l)
● Male = 14 - 17 gm/100 ml of blood (140 - 170 gm/l)
The normal concentration of RBC in females is approximately 4.8 to 5.5 M/cumm and in male is about 5.5 to
6.5 M/cumm. Human erythrocytes survive in the circulation for about 120 days.
Blood is found in these parts of the body
● Heart
● Major arteries
● Arterioles
