The Blood Types of Leukocytes

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

Hematopoiesis – Blood Cell Formation

 Occurs in red bone marrow
 All blood cells are derived from the primary stem cell
called hemocytoblast