PHYSIOLOGY: THE BLOOD

• Cardiovascular system (cardio = heart; vascular = blood/blood vessels)

Source: Google

Source: Google
Source: Google

• Branch of science concerned in blood is called hematology.

Tortora and Derrickson, 2012

Blood: a liquid connective tissue that consists of cells surrounded by a liquid
extracellular matrix (plasma).
What are the functions of blood?
• transportation (blood – interstitial fluid – cells)
• regulation (pH and heat)
• protection
Physical characteristics of blood:
• denser and thicker than water (also sticky)
• has 38˚C of temperature (1˚C higher than oral and rectal temperature)
• slightly alkaline pH of 7.35-7.45
• color: depends on oxygen content

Quiz: What is the volume of average adult male and female?

Tortora and Derrickson, 2012
Components of blood:
• Blood plasma
• Formed elements (cell and cell fragments)

Tortora and Derrickson, 2012

Formed elements consists of three principal components:
• RBCs
Whole cells
• WBCs
• Platelets Cell fragments

Classification of formed elements in blood:

• Red blood cells
• White blood cells
• Granular leukocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils)
• Agranular leukocytes: T and B lymphocytes and NK cells, monocytes
• Platelets

Hematocrit: the percentage of total blood occupied with RBCs (a hematocrit of 40)
Anemia: a significant drop in hematocrit
Polycythemia: abnormally high hematocrit which causes hypertension. Why? Tortora and Derrickson, 2012
 Formation of blood cells
• Most formed elements in the blood only last for hours, days, or
weeks, and must be replaced continually.

• Unlike WBCs, the total number of RBCs and platelets circulating

the body remain steady. Total number of WBCs varies in response
to challenges by invading pathogens and other foreign antigens.

• Hematopoiesis/hemopoiesis: the blood-making

• Hematopoiesis occurs in the yolk sac of an embryo and later in the

liver, spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes of a fetus until 3 months
before birth.

• Red bone marrow becomes the source of blood cells since 3

months before birth and continuous to be throughout life.

Source: Google
Tortora and Derrickson, 2012
The Red Blood Cell: RBC Anatomy

• RBCs are biconcave discs with a diameter of 7-

8 µm.
• Strong and flexible plasma membrane –
allowing them to deform without rupturing as
they squeeze through narrow capillaries.
• RBCs has certain glycolipids in the plasma
membrane which are called antigens (accounts
for the various blood groups such as the ABO
and Rh groups).
• Lack of nucleus and organelles, can neither
reproduce nor carry on extensive metabolic
activities.
• Cytosol of RBCs contains hemoglobin
molecules (constitutes about 33% of the cell’s
weight) Tortora and Derrickson, 2012
• RBCs are highly specialized for oxygen transport function (no nucleus, all space is available for
oxygen).
• Special shape of RBCs (biconcave) enables them to diffuse more gas molecules than any other
shapes (sphere or cube).
• Each RBCs contains 280 million hemoglobin molecules.
• Each oxygen molecule picked up from the lungs is bound to an iron ion.
• The structure of hemoglobin allowing it to bind to four oxygen molecules.
• Some of the 23% of total carbon dioxide also bind to globin part of the hemoglobin. As blood
goes through the lungs, carbon dioxide is released from the hemoglobin then exhaled.

RBC Physiology

Tortora and Derrickson, 2012

RBC Life Cycle

• RBCslive only about 120 days (wear and tear of their plasma
membranes undergo as they squeeze through blood capillaries).

• Because of its lack of metabolic activities, RBCs age without the

capacity of renewing damaged organelles. RBCs become fragile
and prone to bursting. Ruptured RBCs are removed and destroyed
from the circulation by phagocytic macrophages in the spleen and
liver. Breakdown products are recycled.

Tortora and Derrickson, 2012

RBC Life Cycle

Tortora and Derrickson, 2012

 Erythropoiesis

• Quiz 1: what happens if erythropoiesis occurs slower than RBC

destruction?
• Quiz 2: how might your hematocrit change if you moved from a town at
sea level to a high mountain village?
Tortora and Derrickson, 2012
Negative Feedback System of
Erythropoiesis

Tortora and Derrickson, 2012

White Blood Cells: Types of WBC
• Unlike RBCs, WBCs do have nuclei but do not contain hemoglobin.
• Granular leukocyte: neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils.
Macrophages – fixed
• Agranular leukocyte: monocyte and lymphocytes. macrophages –
wandering
macrophages

• Quiz 1: How do granular and agranular leukocyte develop?

• Quiz 2: which WBCs are called granular leukocytes? Why? Tortora and Derrickson, 2012
Functions of WBC

• Normal: WBCs live up to months or year; but during a period of infection,

phagocytic WBCs may only live for few hours.
• Normal WBCs: 5000 – 10000 cells/µL blood

Source: Google
Platelets

• Other name: thrombocyte

• Short life span – 5-9 days
• 150.000-400.000 platelets present in each µl of blood
• Preventing hemorrhage by forming a platelet plug
• Granules in platelets contain chemicals that once released, promote
blood clotting
• Aged and dead platelets are removed by macrophages in the spleen
and liver
Tortora and Derrickson, 2012
Hemostasis

• NOT homeostasis: sequence of responses that stops bleeding (preventing

hemorrhage).
• Mechanisms: vascular spasm, platelet plug formation, blood clotting.

Tortora and Derrickson, 2012

Source: Google
Formation of Platelet Plug Blood Clotting

Serum = blood plasma – clotting

factors

Thrombus
Thrombosis
Embolus
Embolism

Tortora and Derrickson, 2012