Blood is a major part of the Circulatory System.
Have you ever been to the doctor and they drew your blood? Looking at blood under a microscope can give a healthcare professional a good starting point for determining if you have a problem inside your body. The shape of your red blood cells can help a doctor know what to look at. Maybe you are just missing an important vitamin, or maybe the problem is in the bone marrow or your liver.
This chart gives some examples.
Blood is made of 4 main parts: RBCs, WBCs, Platelets, and Plasma.
RBCs (Red Blood Cells)
Red Blood cells carry oxygen to your cells. Iron in the hemoglobin molecule bonds with the Oxygen. Low Iron = Low Oxygen.
WBC (White Blood Cells)
White blood cells fight infections. A high white blood cell count indicates that your body is trying to fight something.
Platelets
Platelets are what allow your blood to clot, stop the bleeding and begin the repair and healing process.
PLASMA
Most of your blood volume is made up of Blood Plasma. Blood Plasma is 92% water, and makes up 55% of your blood. Plasma is frozen within 24 hours of donating and can be kept for a year before it is thawed out and used.
Have you ever been to the doctor and they drew your blood? Looking at blood under a microscope can give a healthcare professional a good starting point for determining if you have a problem inside your body. The shape of your red blood cells can help a doctor know what to look at. Maybe you are just missing an important vitamin, or maybe the problem is in the bone marrow or your liver.
This chart gives some examples.
Blood is made of 4 main parts: RBCs, WBCs, Platelets, and Plasma.
RBCs (Red Blood Cells)
Red Blood cells carry oxygen to your cells. Iron in the hemoglobin molecule bonds with the Oxygen. Low Iron = Low Oxygen.
WBC (White Blood Cells)
White blood cells fight infections. A high white blood cell count indicates that your body is trying to fight something.
Platelets
Platelets are what allow your blood to clot, stop the bleeding and begin the repair and healing process.
PLASMA
Most of your blood volume is made up of Blood Plasma. Blood Plasma is 92% water, and makes up 55% of your blood. Plasma is frozen within 24 hours of donating and can be kept for a year before it is thawed out and used.
Blood Vessels are the second part of the Circulatory System. There are 3 types of blood vessels; VEINS, ARTERIES, CAPILLARIES.
VEINS carry blood TOWARD THE HEART. Venous blood (blood in the veins) has had the oxygen used up and is a darker color. {the exception is the pulmonary vein between the heart and lungs}. If you cut a vein, the blood oozes out. Veins have valves that allow the blood only to flow in one direction; toward the heart. This is why veins bulge if you push the blood ARTERIES carry blood AWAY FROM THE HEART. Arterial blood (blood in the arteries) is loaded up with oxygen and is a brighter color. Arterial blood is under pressure and is being pumped by the heart. If an artery is cut, the blood pulses or squirts out with each pulse of the heart muscle. CAPILLARIES are super thin and that is where the oxygen (O2) is given to the cell and the carbon dioxide (CO2) is removed from the cell. Every cell needs oxygen so capillaries go to every live cell. Hair and fingernails are not live cells so they don't bleed when you cut them. |