What is Blood?
According to Wikipedia,
Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells.
Overview
What is blood?
Blood is an essential life force, constantly flowing and keeping your body working. Blood is mostly fluid but contains cells and proteins that literally make it thicker than water.
Blood has four parts: Red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. Each part has specific and important tasks, from carrying oxygen to carrying out waste products.
Your blood also acts like a kind of health barometer. Unusual blood test results may be the first sign of changes that could point to serious illness. This article focuses on how blood works and conditions that affect blood health.
Anatomy
Where is blood located?
Blood flows throughout your body. It gets its start in your bone marrow, which contains stem cells. Stem cells create trillions of cells, including blood cells. Blood cells develop and mature in your bone marrow before they enter your blood vessels. Blood represents about 8% of your body weight.
What are the parts of blood?
Blood has four parts. Red blood cells and plasma make up most of your blood. White blood cells and platelets, sometimes referred to as the buffy coat, account for less than 1% of your blood.
Red blood cells
Red blood cells (erythrocytes) account for 45% of your blood. They carry oxygen throughout your body. They also help to clear waste from your body. These cells:
- Get their distinctive color from the protein hemoglobin. Hemoglobin helps the red blood cells deliver the oxygen other cells need to produce energy.
- Can squeeze through the tiniest sections of your circulatory system. (Your circulatory system includes the network of capillaries, veins and arteries that blood moves through on its journey throughout your body).
- Have a short life span. Red blood cells live for about 120 days before they’re replaced with new cells.
White blood cells
Your white blood cells (leukocytes) account for less than 1% of your blood and are part of your immune system. When invaders such as viruses or cancerous cells launch attacks, your white blood cells move quickly to find and destroy them. White blood cells can move from capillaries into your tissues. There are five types of white blood cells:
- Neutrophils kill bacteria and fungi and remove foreign debris.
- Lymphocytes consist of T-cells, natural killer cells and B-cells that protect against viral infections and produce antibodies that help you fight infection.
- Basophils react to allergens.
- Eosinophils find and destroy parasites and cancerous cells and assist basophils with your allergic response.
- Monocytes find and destroy viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa. They also remove damaged cells.
Platelets
Your platelets (thrombocytes) are first on the scene any time your blood vessels are damaged and bleeding. Platelets manage bleeding by forming blood clots that seal damaged blood vessels so you don’t lose large amounts of blood.
Platelets:
- Account for less than 1% of your blood. There are tens of thousands of platelets in a single drop of your blood.
- Get their name from how they work in your blood. Platelets are the lightest part of your blood. They form in the shape of plates, flattening themselves against blood vessel walls as plasma and blood cells flow by.
- Have a coat of sticky proteins that act like Velcro, helping platelets cling to broken blood vessels.
Plasma
Your blood cells and platelets float in your plasma. Plasma is a yellowish fluid that accounts for 55% of your blood. Plasma is your blood’s utility player, covering many bases as it works to keep your body functioning. Some tasks plasma does include:
- Helping to clot blood and defend against invaders.
- Delivering hormones, nutrients and proteins to parts of your body and helping to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide.
- Removing waste from cells and transporting it to your liver, lungs and kidneys for excretion.
- Maintaining your blood pressure and circulation.
- Regulating body temperature by absorbing and releasing heat.
Components Of Blood
There are many cellular structures in the composition of blood. When a sample of blood is spun in a centrifuge machine, they separate into the following constituents: Plasma, buffy coat and erythrocytes. Thus blood contains RBC, WBC, platelets and plasma.
Plasma
The liquid state of blood can be contributed to plasma as it makes up ~55% of blood. It is pale yellow in colour and when separated. Blood plasma consists of salts, nutrients, water and enzymes. Blood plasma also contains important proteins and other components necessary for overall health. Hence, blood plasma transfusions are given to patients with liver failure and life-threatening injuries.
Components of Blood Plasma
Blood plasma has several protein components. Proteins in blood plasma are:
- Serum globulin
- Serum albumin
- Fibrinogen
The serum contains only globulin and albumin. Fibrinogen is absent in serum because it is converted into fibrin during blood clotting.
Red Blood Cells (RBC)
Red blood cells consist of Haemoglobin, a protein. They are produced by the bone marrow to primarily carry oxygen to the body and carbon dioxide away from it.
White Blood Cells (WBC)
White blood cells are responsible for fighting foreign pathogens (such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi) that enter our body. They circulate throughout our body and originate from the bone marrow.
Platelets
Tiny disc-shaped cells that help regulate blood flow when any part of the body is damaged, thereby aiding in fast recovery through clotting of blood.
The above-stated elements form the composition of blood in humans. The only vertebrate without haemoglobin is the crocodile icefish. It derives its oxygen requirement directly from the cold, oxygen-rich water where it lives.
Function
What does blood do?
Blood flowing through your blood vessels is responsible for many things:
- It carries oxygen and nutrients throughout your body.
- It forms blood clots to manage bleeding.
- It protects your body from infections.
- It carries waste products.
- It regulates your body temperature.
Types of Blood Vessels
Three types of blood vessels are:
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Arteries
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Veins
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Capillaries
Arteries
Arteries are strong tubes and muscular in nature. These blood vessels carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to all the tissues of the body. Aorta is one of the main arteries that arise from the heart and branches further.
Veins
Veins are elastic blood vessels which carry deoxygenated blood from all parts of the body to the heart. An exception is the umbilical and pulmonary veins. The Pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood to the heart from the lungs and the umbilical vein carries oxygenated blood from the placenta to the foetus.
Capillaries
On reaching tissues, arteries branch further into extremely thin tubes called capillaries. Capillaries bring about the exchange of substances between blood and tissues.
Sinusoids
Sinusoids are a special type of wider capillaries present in bone marrow, liver, lymph nodes, spleen and some endocrine glands. They may be continuous, discontinuous or fenestrated.
Layers of Blood Vessels
Both arteries and veins consist of three layers.
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Tunica Intima: It is one of the innermost and thinnest layers of arteries and veins. It comprises endothelial cells. They are in direct contact with the flow of blood.
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Tunica Media: It is the middle layer of an artery or vein. Tunica media is made up of smooth muscle cells.
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Tunica Externa: It surrounds tunica media. It is made up of collagen and is also supported by the elastic lamina in arteries.
Conditions and Disorders
What common conditions and disorders affect blood?
Blood cancer, blood disorders and a common cardiovascular disease affect blood. Blood cancers affect how your body produces blood cells. Blood disorders keep your blood from doing its job. Atherosclerosis is a cardiovascular disease that affects blood flow. In general, blood cancer and blood disorders have more overall impact on blood health than atherosclerosis.
Blood cancers
Blood cancer happens when something disrupts how your body makes blood cells. If you have blood cancer, abnormal blood cells overwhelm normal blood cells. There are three blood cancer types:
- Leukemia, the most common blood cancer.
- Lymphoma, which is cancer of your lymphatic system. Your bone marrow, which produces blood cells, is part of your lymphatic system.
- Myeloma, which starts in your bone marrow and affects your plasma cells.
Blood disorders
Blood disorders are noncancerous conditions that keep parts of your blood from doing their jobs. Blood disorders include anemia, blood clotting disorders and bleeding disorders.
Some blood disorders may not cause symptoms or require treatment. Others are chronic (lifelong) illnesses that require treatment but typically won’t affect how long you’ll live. There are also blood disorders that are serious illnesses and can be life-threatening.
Healthcare providers treat blood disorders by managing symptoms and treating any underlying conditions.
Anemia
Anemia is the most common type of noncancerous blood disorder. It happens when you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells. Sometimes people inherit anemia, but they may also acquire or develop it. There are many types of anemia. Some common anemias include:
- Iron deficiency anemia.
- Pernicious anemia.
- Sickle cell anemia.
Blood clotting disorders
A blood clotting disorder affects your platelets or your clotting factors (coagulation factors). Clotting factors are proteins in your blood that help your platelets manage bleeding. You may develop a blood clotting disorder (acquired blood clotting disorder) or inherit a genetic mutation that causes abnormal blood clotting.
Prothrombin gene mutation and Factor V Leiden syndrome are examples of inherited blood clotting disorders. Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) are examples of acquired blood clotting disorders.
Bleeding disorders
Bleeding disorders happen when your blood doesn’t clot normally, causing you to bleed more than usual. Von Willebrand disease is the most common bleeding disorder in the U.S. Hemophilia, a rare inherited condition, is another example of a bleeding disorder.
Care
Taking care of your blood is essential for overall health since it plays a crucial role in transporting oxygen, nutrients, and waste products throughout the body. Here’s how you can ensure healthy blood:
1. Maintain a Healthy Diet
- Iron-Rich Foods: Eat foods like spinach, lentils, red meat, and fortified cereals to prevent anemia.
- Folate and Vitamin B12: These are vital for red blood cell production. Sources include leafy greens, eggs, and dairy.
- Vitamin C: Helps your body absorb iron better. Citrus fruits, bell peppers, and strawberries are great choices.
- Stay Hydrated: Water helps blood stay fluid and supports circulation.
2. Exercise Regularly
- Physical activity improves blood circulation, oxygen delivery, and heart health. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.
3. Avoid Smoking and Excess Alcohol
- Smoking damages blood vessels and reduces oxygen transport.
- Excess alcohol can thin your blood and affect clotting.
4. Stay on Top of Medical Conditions
- Manage conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, as they can harm blood vessels.
- Get regular check-ups and follow your doctor’s advice.
5. Monitor and Maintain a Healthy Weight
- Being overweight increases the risk of heart and blood-related issues.
- A balanced diet and regular exercise can help maintain a healthy weight.
6. Avoid Excessive Sugar and Processed Foods
- High sugar levels can harm blood vessels and lead to conditions like diabetes.
- Stick to whole, minimally processed foods.
7. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
- Quality sleep helps regulate your blood sugar and pressure, which is crucial for blood health.
8. Get Regular Blood Tests
- Routine tests can help you monitor your blood health and catch potential issues early.
By following these habits, you can keep your blood healthy and support your overall well-being.
Conclusion from Dreducation.pk
- Blood is a vital component of life, responsible for transporting oxygen, nutrients, and waste while playing a crucial role in immunity and healing.
- Its complex structure, comprising red and white blood cells, platelets, and plasma, supports essential bodily functions and reflects overall health.
- Understanding blood’s anatomy, functions, and the potential disorders that can affect it highlights the importance of maintaining its health.
- Through a balanced diet, regular exercise, hydration, and healthy lifestyle choices, you can ensure your blood performs optimally.
- Additionally, staying informed about blood-related conditions and seeking medical attention when necessary are key steps to safeguarding your overall well-being.
- Taking care of your blood is not just about health—it’s about sustaining the very essence of life.
