Blood: It’s more than just red stuff.

Plasma: 55%
The fluid portion of blood. Water accounts for over 90%

(so then what is “serum”?) Plasma with the clotting factors removed.

Contains:
Electrolytes- to maintain osmotic balance, buffer
•Nutrients
•Respiratory gases
•Hormones
CELLS!
So, if blood is 55% plasma, the rest must be ….._________
Blood: So, what about those cells?

 Erythrocytes- also called Red Blood Cells (RBCs)

•Transport oxygen (which binds to Hemoglobin)

• Lack nuclei or mitochondria

Leukocytes- also called white blood cells (WBCs)

• Function in defense and immunity

• DO have nuclei & mitochondria
Include:

Basophils
Actually spend most of their
time in interstitial fluid and
Lymphocytes
the lymphatic system.
Eosinophils
Neutrophils
 A “Blood’s life”……
 White blood cell life spans vary depending on:
•Type of WBC
• Immunity demands put upon the organism
 Red blood cell life span?
…about 3 months.
• Destroyed by phagocytes in the liver and spleen
• New cells are formed from “multipotent” stem cells
in bone marrow (mostly flat bones: ribs, pelvis, sturnum)
• Production accelerated by negative feedback:
Low Oxygen levels in tissues 
Kidney secretes EURITHROPOIETIN 
Stimulates RBC production!
 Clotting: a real fixer-upper…
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/anatomyvideos/000011.htm

http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/esp/2002_general/Esp/folder_structure/tr/m1/s7/trm1s7_3.htm
 Platelets:
1. Clump & stick to the jagged edges of the cut.
Provides immediate but temporary “plug”

2. Release clotting factors which catalyze the reaction:

Fibrinogen  Fibrin
Fibrin aggregates to form the clot

3. Also releases PDGF

Who remembers what THAT stands for???

Platelet
______________
Derived
______________
Growth
____________ ______________
Factor!

Plasma membrane receptors (called tyrosine kinases) that allow the signal transduction and
inevitably the cell division stimulation to occur….allow a cell to skip the G1 checkpoints in order to divide!