HHP 1110 Lecture Notes - Buffy Coat, Hematocrit, White Blood Cell

• School: University of Iowa
• Department: Health and Human Physiology
• Course: HHP 1110

Document Summary

Blood ch 21 overview of blood primary functions: transportation. Oxygen, carbon dioxide, hormones, nutrients, wastes: regulation. Body temperature, ph, fluid levels in cardiovascular system: protection. Leukocytes guard against infection by triggering immune response to antigens (substances perceived as foreign) Centrifugation of whole blood reveals 3 components: erythrocytes, buffy coat, plasma whole blood: hematocrit. Hematocrit: percentage of volume of all formed elements in the blood. Hematocrit varies with age (children more variable) & sex (males slightly higher on average) plasma. Other solutes formed elements in the blood. Formed elements consist of: erythrocytes (rbcs): transport respiratory gases. Vast majority (99%) of formed elements: leukocytes (wbcs): immune responses against pathogens, platelets: blood clotting. Hemopoiesis or hematopoiesis - production of formed elements. Rouleau: lined up single file as they pass through small blood vessels. 120 day life cycle (old rbcs are phagocytize in liver & spleen) hemoglobin. Every erythrocyte contains ~280 million molecules of hemoglobin.