The Blood − Reddish-orange

● The only fluid tissue in the human body ● Basophils

● Classified as a connective tissue − Have histamine-containing granules
− Living cells = formed elements − Initiate inflammation
− Non-living matrix = plasma − Rarest
− Bluish-violet
Physical Characteristics of Blood
● Color range 2. Agranulocytes – lack visible cytoplasmic granules
− Oxygen-rich blood is bright red (arterial blood) ● Lymphocytes
− Oxygen-poor blood is dull red (venous blood) − Nucleus fills most of the cell
● pH must remain between 7.35–7.45 − Play an important role in the immune response
− lower than 7.35 – acidosis − Closest to the size of RBC
− higher than 7.45 –alkalosis − Very thin rim of cytoplasm
● Blood temperature is higher than body temperature − P cells and T cells
● 5-6 Liters or about 6 quarts/body ● Monocytes
− Largest of the white blood cells
Generally speaking: − Function as macrophages
● Arteries contain oxygenated blood. − Important in fighting chronic infection
− Exemption are: 2 pulmonary arteries − Bean-shaped nucleus
2 umbilical vein
● Veins contain deoxygenated blood. Platelets
− Exemption are: 4 pulmonary veins ● Fragments of a multinucleated megakaryocyte
1 umbilical vein ● Needed for the clotting process
● Normal platelet count = 300,000/mm3
Formed Elements − Low count – thrombocytopenia
1. Erythrocytes (Red Blood Cells) − High count – thrombocytosis
● The main function is to transport oxygen and CO2 ● Thrombus or embolus – undesirable blood clots
● Anatomy of circulating erythrocytes
− Biconcave disks – donut-shaped Blood Plasma
− Essentially bags of hemoglobin ● 90% water
− Anucleated – pale at the center ● The remaining 10% contains:
− Contain very few organelles − Hormones
− Tendency to adhere and form stacks of coins or − Proteins (albumin, globulin, immune)
Rouleaux formation − Waste products (CO2)
● Normal RBC count = 4-6 million − Oxygen
− Low count – anemia − Salts (Na, K, Calcium, bicarbonate)
− High count – polycythemia − Nutrients (glucose, amino acids, fatty acids)
● Hematocrit – percentage of RBC in the whole blood
Plasma Proteins
Hemoglobin ● Albumin – regulates osmotic pressure
● Iron-containing protein ● Clotting proteins – help to stem blood loss when a blood
● Binds strongly, but reversibly, to oxygen vessel is injured
● Each molecule has 4 oxygen binding sites ● Antibodies – help protect the body from antigens
● Each erythrocyte has 250 million hemoglobin molecules
Hematopoiesis – Blood Cell Formation
Leukocytes (White Blood Cells) ● Occurs in red bone marrow
● Crucial in the body’s defense against disease ● All blood cells are derived from the primary stem cell
● Complete cells – membrane, nucleus and cytoplasm called hemocytoblast
● Able to move in and out of blood vessel – diapedesis
● Can respond to chemicals released by damaged tissues
● Normal WBC count = 4,000-11,000
− Low count – leukopenia – generally indicates an
infection
− High count – leukocytosis – caused by certain drugs

Types of Leukocytes
1. Granulocytes – granules in their cytoplasm can be stained
● Neutrophils
− Multilobed nucleus with fine granules
− Act as phagocytes at active sites of acute infection
− Most abundant
− Purplish
− Hypersegmented
● Eosinophils
− Large brick-red cytoplasmic granules
− Found in response to allergies and parasitic worms
− Old telephone shape