Blood Plasma Liquid portion of blood 55 of

Blood

Plasma • Liquid portion of blood • 55% of total blood volume • 90% water • Remainder contains dissolved proteins, glucose, clotting factors, mineral ions, and hormones

Erythrocytes (RBC’s) • About 45% blood volume • Biconcave discs that lack a nucleus and organelles • Contain hemoglobin and carry oxygen throughout the body • Erythropoietin—hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to produce RBC’s

Anemia • Means "lack of blood“ • Decrease in normal number of RBC’s or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood • Most cases are due to iron deficiency • Sickle Cell Anemia— genetic disorder due to a hemoglobin mutation, causing the cells to become sickle-shaped

Leukocytes • Cells of the immune system that aid in the body’s defense against foreign materials and infectious disease – Neutrophils—target bacteria and fungi – Eosinophils—target parasites and present during allergic reactions – Basophils—present in allergic reactions – Lymphocytes—target tumor cells, virus-infected cells, and other pathogens – Monocytes—mostly become macrophages and engulf cellular debris and large pathogens

Leukemia • A cancer of the blood or bone marrow that is characterized by an abnormal proliferation (production by multiplication) of blood cells, usually white blood cells (leukocytes).

Platelets • Less than 1% of total blood volume • Platelets play a fundamental role in hemostasis • Are a natural source of growth factors. • Leading to the formation of blood clots.

Blood Types

Rhesus (Rh) Factor • Rh Factor (+ or -) —presence of an additional D antigen on RBC’s • Hemolytic disease —incompatibility in blood types between mother and fetus. The mother’s antibodies essentially attack the fetus’s RBCs