Red Blood Cells Adapted exclusively for producing and

Red Blood Cells

• Adapted exclusively for producing and packaging hemoglobin which transports oxygen • Adult male: 4. 6 – 6 million • Adult female: 4. 2 – 5 million

Red blood cells are: • Tiny, flexible biconcave discs • Lacks a nucleus • Can bend when going through tiny capillaries

RBC’s are constantly manufactured • • ‘erythroposis’ Every second = 2. 4 million RBC’s Life span: 120 days Manufactured in red bone marrow of the vertebrae, ribs, sternum, skull and proximal epiphysis of long bones

Hemoglobin • Gives red blood cells their red color • Heme - contains iron • Each hemoglobin molecule can combine with 4 molecules of oxygen • Hemoglobin synthesis requires amino acids, specific enzymes, vitamins and minerals (Fe, Cu)

Anemia • Deficiency of hemoglobin • Lower RBC count • Oxygen transport is reduced • Symptoms: • Tired, no energy • Pale, nails are brittle

Causes: diet, loss of blood, lower production of RBC

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning • Carbon Monoxide combines with hemoglobin 200 X more readily thank oxygen. • Smokers have 4. 5% less oxygen than non smokers

Sickle Cell Anemia • • • Mutation in the gene for making hemoglobin Makes the wrong shape cell Primarily affects people of African decent Carriers do not have the disease Persons with 2 mutant genes, have the disease, but can fight off the Malaria parasite

Thalassemia • Inherited disease • A decrease in one or more hemoglobin polypeptide chain • Mainly in persons of Mediterranean, African or Southwest Asia • Results in severs anemia • Treated with blood transfusions

White Blood Cells

Leukocytes Defend body against disease causing agents Have a nucleus Develop from stem cells in red bone marrow Performs duties in various body tissue Phagocytize (eat) dead cells, bacteria and foreign matter • Normal count: 7000 WBC per cubic ml of blood • • •

3 types of granular leukocytes: contain enzymes that destroy bacteria

Neutrophil • 60% of WBC • Lifespan is 10 hours in blood • Seek out and destroy ingested bacteria in connective tissues • 100 billion manufactured daily

Eosinophil • 1 -3 % of WBC • Help control allergic reactions • Release an enzyme histamine – a chemical released during allergic reactions

Basophil • Less than 1% of WBC • Involved in allergic and inflammatory reactions • Contains large amounts of histamines which may be released in injured tissue in order to increase inflammation • Contains heparin an anti-clotting chemical

Non-Granular Leukocytes • Lymphocytes – 30% of all leukocytes • Made from stem cells, but are released from lymph nodes, thymus and spleen • Produce antibodies and destroy foreign cells found in infectious mononucleosis

lymphocyte

Monocyte • 6% of WBC’s • Enter connective tissue • Eat bacteria, dead cells and other littering tissue

Monocytes

Abnormal WBC count • A count over 10, 000 per cubic ml is called leukocytosis. Indicates a bacterial infection • Viruses- depresses WBC count - leukopenia

Leukemia • Form of cancer in which any one kind of WBC proliferates wildly within the bone marrow • Increases number of WBC which crowds out RBC’s and platelets leading to anemia and impaired blood clotting • Dramatic increase in WBC count, but many WBC’s are immature or abnormal and unable to protect the body against disease • Death is usually from bacterial infections

Leukemia