What Exactly is in Blood?

Blood is an essential fluid that circulates within our bodies and is central to our survival as it:

• Supplies oxygen to cells and tissues

• Provides essential nutrients to cells - such as amino acids, fatty acids, and glucose

• Removes waste materials - such as carbon dioxide, urea, and lactic acid

• Forms clots to prevent excess blood loss in the event of injury

• Protects the body from diseases, infections, and foreign bodies

• Regulates body temperature

 The liquid component of blood, also known as plasma, is a mixture of water, sugar, fat, protein, and salts. The main job of plasma is to transport blood cells throughout the body along with nutrients, waste products, antibodies, clotting proteins, and chemical messengers such as hormones and proteins that help maintain fluid balance.

Each blood cell begins in the bone marrow as an unspecialized stem cell and matures into one of three main cell types: red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets.

Red Blood Cells (Erythrocytes): A specialized blood cell type that gives blood its red color. Red blood cells carry a special protein, hemoglobin, which supplies oxygen to the body and transports back waste such as carbon dioxide.

White Blood Cells (Leukocytes): Are a group of specialized blood cell types that account for only ~1% of volume. White blood cells are part of the body’s immune system and help to fight off infections. The five main types of white blood cells are Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Eosinophils, Basophils, and Neutrophils.

Platelets (Thrombocytes): A specialized blood cell type that consists of small, irregularly shaped fragments of cells that assist with blood clotting, known as coagulation. Platelets gather at the site of an injury and stick to the lining of the vessel forming a platform in which coagulation can occur. This results in a fibrin clot which covers the wound and prevents further blood loss.