lecture 1

Question 1

Blood Represents about ____ of total body weight
Average volume:
___ liters in women
___ liters in men

Answer 1

8%
5
5.5

Question 2

Consists of 3 types of specialized cellular elements suspended in plasma (liquid portion of blood)

Answer 2

FORMED ELEMENTS

Question 3

FORMED ELEMENTS

Answer 3

Erythrocytes
Leukocytes
Platelets

Question 4

Why called formed elements?

Answer 4

Leukocytes are the only component of blood cells which contain nuclei

Question 5

Erythrocytes

Answer 5

Red blood cells

Important in O2 transport

Question 6

Leukocytes

Answer 6

White blood cells

Immune system’s mobile defense units

Question 7

Platelets

Answer 7

Cell fragments

Important in hemostasis

Question 8

Components of blood

Answer 8

Question 9

Biomarkers

Answer 9

• blood can contain, in circulation, different inflammatory biomarkers
  = These cause the blood to become sticky/
  hypercoagulable = faster clotting –> causes disease

Question 10

Blood plasma

Answer 10

the watery component of blood

Question 11

Plasma proteins and why they are NB in the health of a person

Answer 11

Compose 6% to 8% of plasma’s total weight
- Clotting proteins
- Shuttle molecules through the circulation
- Contributes to osmotic pressure
- Not taken up by cells
- If inflammatory biomarkers in circulation interact with
plasma proteins, blood clots abnormally. Thus may
result in a stroke or heart attack.

Question 12

Plasma (55%) of blood

Constituents and their functions

Answer 12

1. Water (makes up 90% of plasma)
   > Transport medium, carries heat

2. Electrolytes (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl)
  > Osmotic distribution of fluid between ECF and 
     ICF
  > buffer pH changes
  > membrane permeability

3. Nutrients, wastes, gases, hormones
   > Transported in blood; blood gas CO2 plays a role
   in acid-base balance
4. plasma proteins
   > In general, exert an osmotic effect important in
   distribution of ECF between vascular and
   interstitial compartments
   > buffer pH changes

Albumins 
  > Transport many substances; contribute most to 
     colloid osmotic pressure
Gamma globulins
  > Antibodies
Fibrinogen
  > Inactive precursor for the fibrin meshwork of a 
     clot

Question 13

Albumins

Answer 13

• Most abundant plasma proteins
• Non-specific binding to molecules that are poorly
  soluble

Albuminis a protein made by the liver
> Binds bile salts, bilirubin and penicillin

Bile saltis a chemical produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder.
> It aids in the digestion of fats and helps in the
elimination of toxins from the body.

Bilirubinis a brownish yellow substance found in bile.
> It is produced when the liver breaks down old red
blood cells.
> Bilirubinis then removed from the body through
the stool (feces) and gives stool its normal color.

Question 14

Sometimes our plasma can become acidic or too basic

Answer 14

Acidosis
Alkalosis
Our bodies need to be slightly alkaline
pH = 7.35 to 7.45

Question 15

WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW NOW?

Answer 15

• Blood analysis is the easiest system to detect
  disease
• In blood you will find white blood cells and non-
  cellular entities like platelets and and red blood cells
  that do not have nuclei
• Importantly blood contains plasma proteins, which
  help the blood to clot.
• In disease, blood contains circulating inflammatory
  biomarkers that interact with plasma proteins,
  causing blood to clot abnormally.
• If blood clots abnormally it can result in a heart
  attack or stroke.