Blood & Blood Types

Blood – The River of Life• Connective tissue - connects all the body

systems.• The average person has between 4-6 L of

blood.• Blood is composed of 4 main components:

1. Plasma – 55%2. Red Blood Cells (RBC) – 45%3. White Blood Cells (WBC) - <1%4. Platelets - <1%

What is Blood? (2:24min)

1. Plasma

• 55% of the blood’s volume.

• The liquid portion of blood.– 92% water.– dissolved proteins and

nutrients.

• Yellow in color.

2. Red Blood Cells – (Erythrocytes)• 45% of the blood’s volume.• The most numerous cells in whole blood.• No nucleus.

– No cell division.

• Produced in the red bone marrow.• Lifespan of 120 days. • Looks like a pinched in ball that forms a disc.

– Thin and flexible

Hemoglobin• Iron containing protein

inside each red blood cell.– This is what makes blood

red.– Binds to 4 oxygen

molecules.

– Uses diffusion to pick up and drop off oxygen and carbon dioxide through the capillaries. Hemoglobin – Oxygen Transport

3. White Blood Cells – (Leucocytes)• <1% of the whole blood.• Approximately twice the size of red blood

cells but fewer in number.– 700:1

• Produced in the red bone marrow.• Fights disease and infection• Lifespan of a month to years.

4. Platelets – (Thrombocytes)• <1% of whole blood.• Tiny cell fragments that stick to damaged

tissue.• “Life savers” of the blood.

• At the site of a cut they form a mesh that becomes a clot or scab.– Number is too low = excessive bleeding – Number is too high = clotting

• Lifespan of 10 days.

In A Drop of Blood

• In 1 drop of blood:– 50 million RBC– 100,000 WBC– 2.5 million Platelets

The Lymphatic System

• As blood moves through the capillaries some plasma leaks out and bathes the body cells and keeps them moist - lymph.– Too much fluid in the tissue = swelling.

• Excess fluid normally reenters the blood stream through small vessels in the lymphatic system.– Prior to entering veins the lymph is filtered by

lymph nodes to remove any harmful materials.

Blood Transfusion

• The process of transferring blood from one body to another.– But for 300 years doctors had tried this and more

often than not their patients would become sicker and even die – Why?

• Why were some patients Ok after a transfusion and why did other patients die?

– Isn’t blood universal, all the same?

Antigens and Antibodies

• About 100 years ago, red blood cells were discovered to have proteins on their surface.– These proteins, antigens, would recognize and accept

ONLY other proteins that were exactly the same.• If an antigen didn’t recognize another protein than the

antibodies, floating in the blood, would attack and kill the foreign protein.

– Cause cells to clump or clot

Antigens = likeAntibodies = kill

Blood Types

• Blood Type A– Has A antigens– Has B antibodies– Likes blood types A & O– Kills blood types B & AB

Blood Types

• Blood Type B– Has B antigens– Has A antibodies– Likes blood types B & O– Kills blood types A & AB

Blood Types

• Blood Type AB– Has A & B antigens– Has NO antibodies– Likes blood types A, B,

AB & O– Kills nothing

• “Universal Recipient” – Can receive blood from all other blood types.

Blood Types

• Blood Type O– Has NO antigens– Has A & B antibodies– Likes blood types O– Kills blood types A, B &

AB

• “Universal Donor” – can donate blood to all other blood types!

Donor Chart

A B AB OAB

ABO

DonorRe

cipi

ent

Rh Factor

• A second type of antigen found on the surface of red blood cells – Rh factor.– If you are said to have an Rh antigen you would be

called Rh positive, (+).• Likes other (+) and (-) Rh factors of compatible blood

types.– If you lack the Rh antigen you would be called Rh

negative, (-). • Likes ONLY other (-) Rh factors of compatible blood

types.

Donor Chart with Rh Factors

Rarest

Most Common

Mrs. Fulton

Blood Typing

1. _____________

Anti- Anti- Anti- A Rh B

No No NoClot Clot Clot

2. _____________

Anti- Anti- Anti- A Rh B

Clot No No Clot Clot

AB+ B+

Blood Typing

3. _____________

Anti- Anti- Anti- A Rh B

No Clot Clot Clot

4. _____________

Anti- Anti- Anti- A Rh B

No No ClotClot Clot

A- A+

Blood Typing

5. _____________

Anti- Anti- Anti- A Rh B

Clot No Clot Clot

6. _____________

Anti- Anti- Anti- A Rh B

No Clot NoClot Clot

O+ AB-

Blood Typing

7. _____________

Anti- Anti- Anti- A Rh B

Clot Clot Clot

8. _____________

Anti- Anti- Anti- A Rh B

Clot Clot No Clot

O- B-