Red and white blood cells and platelets. Flashcards
What is the primary component of erythrocytes?
Haemoglobin
Why is haemoglobin important?
It carries oxygen to the tissues of the body and carries carbon dioxide back to the lungs to be breathed out.
What are the 2 formed elements in blood?
Erythrocytes - red blood cells
Leukocytes -white blood cells
Which elements is most abundant in the body?
Erythrocytes.
What are the 2 parts of leukocytes called?
Granulocytes and agranulocytes.
What are the three categories of granulocytes?
Neutrophils.
Eosinophils.
Basophils
What are the two categories of agranulocytes?
Lymphocytes.
Monocytes.
What is erythropoiesis?
It is the process of red blood cell formation.
How does erythropoiesis work?
The kidneys release a hormone called erythropoietin when oxygen levels are low.
Erythropoietin is a stimulant to release red blood cells from the red bone marrow.
Increased erythropoiesis increases oxygen carried through the blood and will deduce wether more red blood cells need to be created restarting the process.
Approximately how long do red blood cells last for?
120 days
What recycles red blood cells once they die?
Macrophages in the spleen.
What do the macrophages break the RBC down to?
Haemoglobins named Heam (ion component) and globin (protein component)
