BLOOD COMPONENTS AND

BLOOD TESTS
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Be familiar with terms: formed element, plasma, buffy coat, erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets,
granulocytes, agranulocytes, polycythemia, anemia, agglutination, hematocrit, hemoglobin
Identify major components of blood and identify the percentage of each present in whole
blood
Identify red blood cells, platelets, and types of white blood cells on slide or diagram and
know their function
Know white blood cell type percentages in blood
Be able to conduct ABO and Rh blood typing and identify antigens present in type A, B,
identify antibodies that will produce agglutination in types A, B, and 0, and distinguish
between Rh+ and Rh-
Explain why type 0 is universal blood type
Examine blood smears microscopically and identify differences seen in slides prepared from
patients with blood disorders
Activity Minutes

Attendance 5 minutes

Blood components and Blood test 20 minutes

White blood cell count experiments 40 minutes

Blood typing experiments 50 minutes

Case study 30 minutes

For next lab… 5 minutes

PRE-LAB REVIEW
COMPONENTS, STRUCTURE, AND
FUNCTION OF BLOOD
FUNCTIONS OF BLOOD
Transports gases, nutrients, hormones, and wastes
Regulates pH and ion concentrations in interstitial fluids
Restricts fluid and blood loss at injury sites
Defends against toxins and pathogens
Stabilizes body temperature
BLOOD AND BLOOD COMPONENTS
Two main components
 Plasma
 91.5% water
Serum—plasma (55%)
 8.5% solute
 Plasma proteins, glucose, animo
acids, lipids, blood gases,
electrolytes, hormones
Buffy coat (WBC, platelets)
 Formed elements
 Red blood cells, white blood cells,
platelets Red blood cells (RBCS)
BLOOD AND BLOOD COMPONENTS
Serum
 Plasma minus clotting proteins
 Watery fluid created with blood is allowed to
sit and clot in an unheparinized tube
TERMINOLOGY
Red blood cells = Erythrocytes

White blood cells = Leukocytes

Platelets = thrombocytyes

-penia = decreased count

-cytosis= increased count

 RED BLOOD CELLS (ERYTHROCYTES)
Structure Function Blood Smear
characteristics
No nucleus Contain hemoglobin which Most numerous
transports oxygen and
Biconcave carbon dioxide in the blood Light pink to red in
color
Round

Red in color

Approximately 4.5-5 million RBCs per microliter of blood

Females have lower amounts than males
POLYCYTHEMIA/ANEMIA
Polycythemia Anemia
 Abnormally high number of RBCs  Abnormally low number of RBCs is one type
 WHITE BLOOD CELLS (LEUKOCYTES) Leukocytes

Granular Agranular
Leukocytes leukocytes
Structure Function Blood Smear
characteristics
Neutrophils Lymphocytes
Nucleus Attack pathogens and foreign Larger than RBCs
substances in the body
Round Able to see nucleus
Eosinophils Monocytes

Basophils
Normally 5,000-10,000 WBCs per microliter of blood
WHITE BLOOD CELLS (LEUKOCYTES)
NEUTROPHILS
60-70% of WBCs
Function
 Phagocytocize bacteria

Characteristics
 Multi-lobed nucleus connected by threads (2-5)
 Small pink granules
 10-12um diameter

Also called “segs” or polymorphonuclear leukocytes

(PMNs)
EOSINOPHILS
2-4% of WBCs
Function
 Combats effects of histamine in allergic reactions
 Fights parasitic worms

Characteristics
 Bilobed nucleus
 Many brown/red-orange granules
 10-12um in diameter
BASOPHILS
0.5-1% WBC, most rare
Function
 Involved in immune responses to parasites

Characteristics
 Large nucleus that may be obscured by granules
 Large dark blue-purple/red granules
 8-10um in diameter
MONOCYTE
2-10% of WBCs
Function
 Precursors to macrophages, which phagocytize dead
cells and bacteria

Characteristics
 Kidney bean-shaped nucleus
 Largest leukocyte (12-20um diameter)
 No obvious granules
 Cytoplasm light blue-gray
LYMPHOCYTE
20-30% of WBCs
Function
 Form B cells and T cells, which make antibodies and
attack viruses, respectively.

Characteristics
 Slightly larger than RBC
 Large round nucleus that stains purple—cytoplasm
may be not very visible in small lymphocytes
 Granules not visible
PLATELETS
Smallest of solid components of
blood
Synthesized in red bone marrow from
megakaryotcytes (fragments of
cytoplasm)
Necessary for initiation of blood
clotting process
Anucleuated

Thrombocytopenia=decreased
platelet count
LAB EXERCISE 26.2-DIFFERENTIAL WBC COUNT
Performed to determine percentage of each of the 5 types of WBCs in a blood
sample
Mnemonic- “Never Let Monkeys Eat Bananas”
 Neutrophils
 Lymphocytes
 Monocytes
 Eosinophils
 Basophils

Count 100 WBCs and record findings in table 26.2 and percentages of each type of
blood
Determine disorder associated with your findings
DIFFERENTIAL WBC COUNT
WBC type High Count Low Count
Neutrophils Acute bacterial infection,
inflammation
Lymphocytes Acute viral infection HIV/AIDs, immunosuppression
Monocytes Viral or fungal infection Bone marrow depression
Eosinophils Allergy, parasitic worm infection,
autoimmune disorder
Basophils Cancers, hypothyroidism
 BLOOD TYPING
BLOOD TYPING
RH BLOOD SYSTEM
Rh+ = Rh antigen on RBCs
Rh- = No Rh antigen on RBCs
 Does not spontaneously develop anti-Rh antibody until
the person is exposed to Rh antigen from Rh+ blood.
 Exposure to Rh+ blood may occur through blood
transfusion, sharing needles, or by an Rh- mother
carrying an Rh+ child.
 First baby would not be affected but subsequent pregnancies with
Rh+ babies can result in Rh antibodies crossing the placenta and
causing hemolysis in the fetus’s blood
BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS
Type of blood Can receive from Can donate to
A A, O A, AB,
B B, O B, AB
AB A, B, AB, O AB
O O A, B, AB, O

Can receive from Can donate to

Rh + Rh +, Rh- Rh+
Rh - Rh- Rh+, Rh-

O- is universal donor; AB+ is universal recipient

BLOOD TYPING
Each group will need to determine the blood type for each simulated blood sample
provided

Record your answers on the worksheet

Complete worksheet
HEMOGLOBIN AND HEMATOCRIT
HEMOGLOBIN
Hemoglobin
 Protein that carries oxygen in RBCs
Determines oxygen-carrying capacity of blood
Made from iron
Generally relationship of hematocrit to hemoglobin is 3:1 but it is
possible to have normal hematocrit and abnormal hemoglobin
HEMATOCRIT
Hematocrit = volume of RBCS (% of RBC in a whole blood sample)
Normal level = Females (38-46%), Males (40-54%)
POWERPHYS-HEMOGLOBIN AND HEMATOCRIT
CASE STUDY: IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME
Can be found on canvas under week 6 module
WRAP UP QUIZ
BEFORE NEXT LAB
Complete Lab 7 Pre-Lab Assignment (WileyPlus)
Lab 6 Post-Lab Quiz (canvas)
Complete PowerPhys Exercise 8
Outline of Student presentations