Introduction
Blood is a complex mixture made up of different components. The body of an average person contains about 5 to 6 quarts (about 5 liters) of blood. As soon as the heart pumps blood, it takes 20 to 30 seconds to make a complete journey through the circulatory system and back to the heart. Blood carries out a variety of essential functions while circulating through the body. Blood types are mainly divided into four major groups (blood groups): A, B, AB, and O.
How Are Blood Groups Created?
Our blood type, like our eyes and hair color, is inherited from our parents. Each biological parent passes one of two ABO genes to their children. Genes A and B predominate, and the O gene is recessive. For instance, if the O gene is combined with the A gene, the blood group becomes A.
What Are the Building Blocks of Blood?
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Red Blood Cells or the Erythrocytes - These are disc-shaped cells containing hemoglobin. They are about 45% in blood. The hemoglobin produced gives a red color to the blood. Red blood cells transport oxygen in and carbon dioxide out of the cells.
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White Blood Cells or Leukocytes - They comprise about less than 1 % of blood. They help us fight against infectious diseases. White blood cells are classified into five categories - lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and neutrophils are the different types of white blood cells. Platelets, also known as thrombus, are small pieces of cells. They make up about less than 1 % of the blood. These are cells that stick together to form blood clots that control bleeding by sticking to the walls of blood vessels.
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Plasma Cells- They are a light yellow combination of water, proteins, and salts. They make about 55 % of the blood. One of the plasma’s key functions is to act as a transporter of blood cells, nutrients, enzymes, and hormones.
Where Does That Blood Come From?
The process of making blood cells is known as hemopoiesis. Bone marrow is the site of the cellular production of blood. It is composed of spongy tissue containing stem cells. It produces more than half of the blood cells in the body. Several other organs that contribute to the production of blood cells include the liver, lymphoid tissue, spleen, and lymph nodes. It is made up of young mother cells called stem cells.
The hematopoietic stem cells can form three types:
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Red blood cells.
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White blood cells.
These hematopoietic stem cells reproduce and also produce mature blood cells. When the blood cells are fully mature and working properly, they exit the bone marrow and enter the bloodstream. Healthy people have enough stem cells to continue to produce all the blood cells they need each day.
How Does The Body Replace Blood?
The body has an amazing capacity to replace all the lost cells and fluids.
Take a red blood cell. Every second there are thousands being made and thousands dying. Whenever blood is given, the body loses red cells, so it must make more to replace them.
If there is a low oxygen level in the blood (as a result of losing red blood cells), peritubular cells in the kidneys release a protein called erythropoietin. As it passes through the bloodstream, it reaches the bone marrow. As a result of stem cell production in the bone marrow, the body produces red, white, and platelet blood cells. The erythropoietin signals the stem cells to generate more red blood cells rather than white blood cells or platelets.
Approximately two million red blood cells are produced each second, so it does not take long for the body to replenish its red blood cell stores. Over the next few days, the levels of these cells return to normal as a result of the production of other messenger proteins in the bone marrow.
What Is the Purpose of Blood?
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Blood Transports Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide: Blood takes oxygen from the air to the lungs. It carries oxygen to cells all over the body, and it eliminates carbon dioxide waste from cells. Carbon dioxide passes through the lungs from the blood to the air and is exhaled.
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Absorption of Nutrients: It plays an important part in digestion. Digested nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream by villus capillaries that line the small intestine. These nutrients consist of glucose, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.
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Secretion of Hormones: Blood carries hormones secreted by endocrine glands to organs and tissues.
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Regulates Body Temperature: Heat is absorbed and distributed by the blood throughout the body. It releases or stores heat to maintain homeostasis. External factors such as bacteria and internal factors such as hormonal and chemical changes affect the expansion and contraction of blood vessels. As a result, blood and heat travel closer to or away from the surface of the skin, where heat is lost.
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Clot Formation: Platelets (also called thrombocytes) and plasma proteins work together to stop blood loss when a blood vessel tears. An area that is damaged produces clumps of platelets. As a result, fibrils from around the platelets clot them together.
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Transportation of Waste Substances: The blood transports the waste to the organs, where it is removed and treated for disposal. Blood flows into the kidneys via the renal arteries and into the renal veins. The kidneys filter chemicals such as urea, uric acid, and creatinine from the blood plasma and into the ureters. The liver also flushes toxins out of the blood. During digestion, it cleans the blood that has been enriched in vitamins before sending it back to the rest of the body.
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Eliminate Foreign Invasions: White blood cells, also known as leukocytes, are the components of the blood that fight the disease. They constitute only 1 % of the circulating blood but multiply when there is an infection or inflammation. There are five types of white blood cells: neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes.
What Are the Basic Routine Blood Tests That Should Be Done?
A few basic routine blood tests include as follows;
1. Complete Blood Count (CBC):
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White blood cell count (WBC).
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Red blood cell count (RBC).
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Platelet count.
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Red blood cell hematocrit (HCT).
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Differential blood count.
Uses:
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To assist in the diagnosis of anemia, other blood disorders and certain blood cancers.
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To avoid bleeding and infections.
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To monitor a person's response to cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy
2. Platelet Count:
Uses:
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For diagnosis or monitoring of bleeding and bleeding disorders.
3. Prothrombin Time (PT) And Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT):
Uses:
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Evaluate bleeding and coagulopathy and monitor anticoagulant therapy (anticoagulant).
4. Iron or Ferritin:
Uses:
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Check blood iron levels to avoid the cause of anemia. And some other chronic illnesses that can cause iron overload, which is highly toxic to our body.
Conclusion
To summarize, the blood is an important component that is made up of both cellular and liquid components. Blood comprises about 10 % of the human body. Their main function is to transport and provide oxygen to body tissues in exchange for carbon dioxide that enters the lungs.
Blood is formed within the bone marrow and is destroyed and replaced every second. All of the constituents in the blood are generated by stem cells in the red bone marrow called hemocytoblasts. The cells when they die and get replaced.
Always donate blood. It could not only save others' lives but also bring many benefits.
"One pint can save three lives; one gesture can make a million smiles."