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Home , Blood plasma

There are four basic components that comprise human : , red blood cells, white blood cells and .

Red Blood Cells Red blood cells represent 40%-45% of your . They are generated from your bone marrow at a rate of four to five billion per hour. They have a lifecycle of about 120 days in the body. Platelets Platelets are an amazing part of your blood. Platelets are the smallest of our blood cells and literally look like small plates in their non-active form. Platelets control bleeding. Wherever a wound occurs, the will send out a signal. Platelets receive that signal and travel to the area and transform into their “active” formation, growing long tentacles to make contact with the vessel and form clusters to plug the wound until it heals. Plasma Plasma is the liquid portion of your blood. Plasma is yellowish in color and is made up mostly of water, but it also contains , sugars, and salts. It transports water and nutrients to your body’s tissues. It is made up of:

• Hormones.

• .

• Enzymes.

• .

• Fat particles. • Salts.

White Blood Cells Although white blood cells (leukocytes) only account for about 1% of your blood, they are very important. White blood cells are essential for good health and protection against illness and disease. Like red blood cells, they are constantly being generated from your bone marrow. They flow through the bloodstream and attack foreign bodies, like viruses and bacteria. They can even leave the bloodstream to extend the fight into tissue. Blood has a variety of different functions. These include:

• Transport. Blood takes from the lungs to the cells of the body. It takes from the body's cells to the lungs where it is breathed out. Blood carries nutrients, hormones and waste products around the body. • Regulation. Blood helps to keep the acid-alkali balance of the body in check. It also plays a part in regulating body temperature. Increasing the amount of blood flowing close to the skin helps the body to lose heat.

• Protection. White blood cells attack and destroy invading germs (bacteria) and other pathogens. Blood clots, which protects the body from losing too much blood after injury. • Supply of oxygen to tissues (bound to , which is carried in red cells), nutrients such as glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids (dissolved in the blood or bound to plasma proteins (e.g., blood lipids)) • Removal of waste such as carbon dioxide, , and lactic acid • Immunological functions, including circulation of white blood cells, and detection of foreign material by antibodies • , the response to a broken blood vessel, the conversion of blood from a liquid to a semisolid gel to stop bleeding • Messenger functions, including the transport of hormones and the signaling of tissue damage • Regulation of core body temperature

Blood Groups

Red blood cells have certain proteins on their surface, called . Also, your plasma contains antibodies which will attack certain antigens if they are present. There are various types of red antigens - the ABO and rhesus types are the most important.

ABO types These were the first type discovered. • If you have type A antigens on the surface of your red blood cells, you also have anti-B antibodies in your plasma.

• If you have type B antigens on the surface of your red blood cells, you also have anti-A antibodies in your plasma.

• If you have type A and type B antigens on the surface of your red blood cells, you do not have antibodies to A or B antigens in your plasma.

• If you have neither type A nor type B antigens on the surface of your red blood cells, you have anti-A and anti-B antibodies in your plasma.

Rhesus types Most people are rhesus positive, as they have rhesus antigens on their red blood cells. But, about 3 in 20 people do not have rhesus antibodies and are said to be rhesus negative.

Blood group names Your blood group depends on which antigens occur on the surface of your red blood cells. Your blood group is said to be:

• A+ (A positive) if you have A and rhesus antigens.

• A− (A negative) if you have A antigens but not rhesus antigens.

• B+ (B positive) if you have B and rhesus antigens.

• B− (B negative) if you have B antigens but not rhesus antigens.

• AB+ (AB positive) if you have A, B and rhesus antigens.

• AB− (AB negative) if you have A and B antigens but not rhesus antigens.

• O+ (O positive) if you have neither A nor B antigens but you have rhesus antigens.

• O− (O negative) if you do not have A, B or rhesus antigens.

Importance

Life Saver: Many people require urgent blood and by donating our blood we easily give them life. It makes proud and can also give a purpose of life-the feelings that made a difference to someone’s life. Refresher our system: Having donated blood, our cell count goes down which to new cells regeneration. Entire body freshens up and many of health issues come to end.

Proper diagnosis: Prior to donating blood, hospital personnel make diagnosis of , iron content, haemoglobin etc.

References:

1. R.S.Khandpur,(Handbook of Biomedical Equipments”. 2. Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology - 12th-Ed

3. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology Tortora,14th Ed.

4. www.lifescience.com

Thank you.

Ms.Pradnya Gokhale,

Assistant Professor,

Dept. of Insrtrumentation Engg.,MPCOE,Velneshwar