How many quarts of blood are there in an individual?
- Men 5-6 and women 4-5
What is whole blood composed of?
60% plasma and 40% formed elements
What are the formed elements classified as? (3)
- Red blood cells
- White blood cells
- Platelets
What’s another name for red blood cells?
Erythrocytes
What’s another name for white blood cells?
Leukocytes
What’s another name for platelets?
Thrombocytes
What does plasma do?
- Transports blood cells
- Transports dissolved gases
- Transports other chemical substances
What is plasma composed of? 2
- 90% water
2. 10% dissolved solutes such as glucose, fats, antibodies, hormones, respiratory gas
What is the procedure for producing a plasma specimen? 4
- Perform blood draw with a plasma producing tube
- Centrifuge tube for 15 minutes
- Pipette or pour plasma into a separate specimen container
- Label and send specimen to the lab
What is serum?
Plasma with the fibrin removed which is the substance that forms clots in the blood
How much testing is done using serum?
60%
What are the functions of blood? (4)
- Provides nutrients
- Oxygen
- Chemical substances
- Waste removal for cells
What is normal pH scale?
7.4
What do you have to do to obtain serum?
Blood sample must be allowed to coagulate at least 30 minutes
What is the reason for letting the blood coagulate?
Allows the fibrin clot to form
What are red blood cells?
Made up of hemoglobin contained in a membrane. Function within the veins and capillary vessels
Where are blood cells produced and stored?
In bone marrow and spleen
What is the production of red blood cells known as?
Hemopoiesis
What is it called when a new erythrocyte is produced?
Reticulocyte
What are white blood cells known as?
Body’s internal defense system
What is neutrophils?
First responders to the beginning stages of
Inflammation
What is eosinophils? 3
- Responsible for attacking multicellular parasites
- Suppresses asthma and allergies
- Detoxifies the body
What is basophils? 2
- Carry histamine. Causes the symptoms of an allergic reaction
- Releases heparin
What are monocytes?
Destroys cells by phagocytosis-eat bacteria. Increased numbers mean bacterial infection
