Blood Components and Blood Tests

Chapter 12

Components of Blood

• 5.5 liters in an average adult

What are the main components of blood?

• 2 main components:

1. Plasma:– Straw-colored liquid

2. Formed elements:– Dark-red and buff colored

What Parts Make Up the Formed Elements?

1. Red blood cells (RBCs)• Aka erythrocytes “erythro”=red

2. White blood cells (WBCs)• Leukocytes “leuko”= white

3. Platelets• thrombocytes

Percentages of Particles in Blood

Blood Plasma• 92% water

• 7% proteins.. Albumin, globulin, fibrinogen

• Wastes

• Electrolytes

• Nutrients, vitamins, hormones

• Gases… oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen

Red Blood Cells• Biconcave disc, for more surface area• Smaller then WBCs• Anucleated– no nucleus when mature

Contain hemoglobin:What is the role of hemoglobin (in RBCs)?• A large molecule use to transport oxygen and

carbon dioxide in the blood• Red pigment= heme• 4.5-5 million RBCs per microliter of blood• Lower amounts in females than males

Characteristics of WBCs• Have nucleus

• Larger than RBCs

• 5 kinds that are divided up into granular and agranular

What is the difference?

• Granular have “dots” that can be seen with staining, agranular “dots” cannot be seen

• “agranular” because old microscopes were not powerful enough to see the stains

What are the Types of WBCs?• Granular:• Neutrophils – phagocytes –engulf bacteria• Eosinophils– kill parasites, allergic

reaction• Basophils– release heparin, allergic

reaction• Agranular:• Lymphocytes– immune functions,

antibodies… T-cells and B-cells• Monocytes– phagocyte, engulf dead RBCs

Platelets• Thrombocytes

• 130,000-360,000 per microliter

• Help close breaks in damaged blood vessels, clots blood

• Cells ½ size of RBC

• anucleated

Antigens and Antibodies• Agglutination– clumping of RBCs following

a blood transfusion

• Antigens– chemicals (surface of RBC) that stimulate B-cells (lymphocytes) to produce antibodies

• Different blood types have different antigens, and during blood transfusions, can cause a agglutination due to antigen/antibody reaction

• Blood types are hereditary

ABO Blood Groups / 4 BloodTypes

1. Type A– (antigen A) – person will produce anti-B antibodies

2. Type B—(antigen B)– person will produce anti-A antibodies

3. Type AB– (antigen A and B) – no antibodies produced

4. Type O – (no antigen A or B).. Person produces both and A and B antibodies

Can blood type A receive type AB?

Can blood type AB receive type O?

Can blood type AB receive type A?

In US, type O, 47%... Type A, 41%... Type B, 9%... Type AB, 3%

Rh Blood Group• Named after Rhesus monkey in which it

was first studied

• if RBC has the Rh antigen, then it is Rh-positive

• If RBC does NOT have Rh antigen, then it is Rh-negative

• Anti-Rh antibodies do not appear spontaneously, only after being exposed

Rh incompatibility Mother to Child

• If an Rh-negative mother has an Rh-positive child

• The mother will build up anti-Rh antibodies in response

• The next time she has a Rh-positive child, her immune system (anti-Rh antibodies) will attack Rh-positive fetal red blood cells

• Called Erythroblastosis fetalis

Rh Incompatibility… Erythroblastosis fetalis.

Infant may be anemic, brain damaged, or die

Blood Types• AB+• AB- rarest type in U.S.• A+• A-• B+• B-• O+ most common in U.S.• O-Which is considered the universal donor?

Which is considered the universal recipient?

AA AO BB BO AB OO

AA AA AA OR AO

AB AB OR AO

AA OR AB

AO

AO AA OR AO

AA OR AO OR

OO

AB OR BO

AB OR AO OR BO OR

OO

AA OR AB OR AO OR

BO

AO OR OO

BB AB AB OR BO

BB BB OR BO

AB OR BB

BO

BO AB OR AO

AB OR AO OR BO OR

OO

BB OR BO

BB OR BO OR

OO

AB OR AO OR BB OR

BO

BO OR OO

AB AA OR AB

AA OR AO OR AB OR

BO

AB OR BB

AB OR AO OR AO OR

BO

AA OR AB OR

BB

AO OR BO

OO AO AO OR OO

BO BO OR OO

AO OR BO

OO

Rh factor probability

Blood type Probability1. Father is Blood type A-, mother O+.

Is O+ a possible blood type for child?

2. Mother is blood type AB-, Father is O+. Is B- a possible blood type for this child?

3. Mother is AB+, father is B+. Is A+ a possible blood type for this child?

Which of the above could cause future complications for births? Explain your answer.

Blood Disorders

Sickle-Cell Anemia• Hereditary• Affects mostly African-

Americans, Middle-Easterners

• 2 genes causes the red blood cells to be sickle shaped and not round

• Produce abnormal hemoglobin

• Cells clump together• Organs can’t get oxygen

they need

Polycythemia

• Abnormally high red blood cells

• One symptom is generalized itching when in warm water (due to histamines)

• Untreated this can lead to heart attack or stroke

Anemia

• Abnormally low RBC count

• One of the most common blood disorders

• Can cause fatigue and stress to body organs

• Low iron, usually

Leukemia• Cancer that starts in

blood forming tissue and causes large numbers of white blood cells to be produced and released into the bloodstream– immature and not functioning properly

• 22,000 deaths a year from leukemia

Normal Human Blood

Bovine Blood

Camel Blood

Cat Blood

Bird Blood

Limulus blood

Reptile blood

Frog Blood