
Chapter Objectives • Composition of the blood plasma. • Functions of the three types of blood cells. • Blood types. • Immunity and the possible sources of immunity. • Roots and suffixes pertaining to the blood and immunity Chapter 10: Blood and Immunity
Blood Plasma • 90% water • Rest contains: • Nutrients • Electrolytes (dissolved salts) • Gases • Albumin (protein) • Clotting factors • Antibodies • Wastes • Enzymes • Hormones • Relative acidity (pH) steady at 7.4
Blood Cells • Produced in red bone marrow • Three kinds: • 1) Red = erythrocytes • 2) White = leukocytes • 3) Platelets = thrombocytes
Erythrocytes • Main function: carry oxygen to cells • Most numerous of blood cells • Short lifespan (120 days) requires constant replacement • Production regulated by erythropoietin (hormone made in kidneys)
Leukocytes • Five different types: • Granulocytes • Neutrophils • Eosinophils • Basophils • Agranulocytes • Lymphocytes • Monocytes
Leukocytes (cont’d) • Protect against foreign substances • Relative numbers of each different for different disease conditions
Platelets • Important for hemostasis • Most active during coagulation • Stick together to plug injury site • Interact with clotting factors in plasma to make wound-sealing clot • Convert fibrinogen to threads of fibrin • Threads of fibrin trap blood cells and plasma to make clot
Blood Types • Determined by genetically inherited proteins • Most familiar groups are ABO and Rh • Type A, B, AB, O • Rh-positive, Rh-negative • Important to match for blood transfusions • Compatible types determined by cross-matching
Immunity • Protection against disease • Innate: • Based on genetic makeup • Include: • Unbroken skin • Cilia • Mucus • Bactericidal body secretions • Reflexes • Lymphoid tissue • Phagocytes
Immunity (cont’d) • Adaptive: • Acquired during life, specific to disease organism • T cells • B cells
Types of Adaptive Immunity • Natural Adaptive: • Active: contact with disease organism • Passive: transfer of antibodies • Naturally (placenta or mother’s milk) • Artificial Adaptive: • Active: vaccine • Passive: immune serum
Clinical Aspects: Blood • Anemia • Decrease in hemoglobin in blood • Can result from: • Too few red blood cells • Cells are too small • Too little hemoglobin
Clinical Aspects: Blood (cont’d) • Key tests involve blood counts, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration • Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, pallor, irritability
Anemia Due to Impaired Production • Aplastic anemia = destruction of bone marrow • May be caused by drugs, toxins, viruses, radiation, or bone marrow cancer • Nutritional anemia (includes pernicious anemia) = deficiency of vitamin B12 • Caused by iron deficiency
Anemia Due to Impaired Production (cont’d) • Pernicious anemia = lack of intrinsic factor • Sideroblastic anemia = body doesn’t use iron properly
Anemia Due to Destruction • Hemorrhagic anemia • Results from blood loss • Thalassemia (includes Cooley anemia) • Hereditary disease causing rupture of red cells • Affects production of hemoglobin
Anemia Due to Destruction (cont’d) • Sickle cell anemia • Mutation alters hemoglobin molecule • Deformed cells block blood vesselsand prevent tissues from receiving oxygen
Coagulation Disorders • Thrombocytopenia • Deficiency in number of platelets • Disseminated intravascular coagulation • Widespread clotting, obstructing circulation to tissues • Hemophilia • Hereditary deficiency of specific clotting factor • Sex-linked disease: Passed from mother to son
Neoplasms • Leukemia • Rapidly dividing, but incompetent white blood cells • Causes unknown, but may include radiation, heredity • Symptoms: anemia, fatigue, easy bleeding, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly • Causes: exposure to radiation, hereditary, viral infection
Neoplasms (cont’d) • Leukemia (cont’d) • Categories: myelogenous, lymphocytic • Acute • Acute myeloblastic • Acute lymphoblastic • Chronic • Chronic granulocytic • Chronic lymphocytic • Treatment includes: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplantation