Blood functions to transport nutrients, gases, hormones, and waste throughout the body. It also helps regulate pH and temperature. Blood is composed of plasma and formed elements, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Plasma is 55% of blood volume and contains water, proteins, electrolytes, nutrients, and waste products. The major proteins are albumin, globulins, and fibrinogen, which help regulate pressure, viscosity, coagulation, immunity, and transport of substances.

1. Composition and function of
BLOOD

2. . Introduction
A. The internal environment is regulated by the
fluids which bathe the cells:
1. Interstitial fluid (IF) is found outside cells
and in between the cells
2. Lymph inside lymph vessels
3. Blood within blood vessels
B. Hematology is the science which studies blood
and blood disorders

3. Blood
 Fluid connective tissue
 Functions include
 Transporting dissolved gases, nutrients, hormones,
and metabolic wastes
 Regulating pH and ion composition of interstitial
fluids
 Restricting fluid loss at injury sites
 Defending the body against toxins and pathogens
 Regulating body temperature by absorbing and
redistributing heat

4. The Composition of Whole
Blood
Figure 19.1a

5. Composition of Blood
 Total Blood Volume : 5-6 liters (8% of
body weight or 80ml/kg body weight)
 Specific Gravity : 1050-1060
 Viscosity : 4-5 times that of water
 Ph : 7.4 (.05); it is alkaline in nature
 In acidosis Ph of blood falls below 7.38
and in alkalosis Ph is more than 7.42

6. Figure 10.1

8. Composition of Blood
 Blood contains plasma & formed
elements(cells)
 Cells represent 45% of blood volume
 Hematocrit represents the percentage of red
blood cells in blood (called Packed Cell
Volume (PCV)
 1. A lower than normal hematocrit is representative
of a condition known as anemia
 2. An abnormally high hematocrit is representative
of polycythemia
 Hematocrit “ for males: 40%-54% (47%);
Females: 38%-46% (42%)

9. Blood Components:
Figure 16-1: Composition of blood

10. Blood Components: Cells
 Erythrocytes
 Red Blood Cells (RBC)
 O2 & CO2 transport
 White Blood Cells (WBC)
 Immune defense
 Phagocytosis
 Platelets: clotting

11. Blood Cells

12. Plasma is a clear ,straw colored fluid
portion of blood & represents 55% of
the total blood volume.
It contains 91% water and 9% solids
( 1% inorganic molecules ,8% organic
molecules)

13.  The major inorganic  Of 8% organic molecules
molecules are Na+
 7% are Plasma
,Ca++, Hco3-, K+ , Mg++,
Cu++, Po4-3 Proteins
 (6.4-8.3 gm%)
 1% are Non Protein
Nitrogenous
substances(urea,Uric
acid,Creatinine,Xanth
in)

14. . plasma composition
1. 92% water
2. 9% solutes
a. Proteins -albumins; globulins (alpha, beta,
gamma); fibrinogen
b. Nutrients
c. Enzymes
d. Hormones
e. Respiratory gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide)
f. Electrolytes (sodium, chloride, potassium)
g. Waste products (urea, uric acid, creatinine,
H+, etc)

15. Figure 10.1

16. Plasma
 Water
 Plasma proteins
 Albumin (60%)
 Osmotic Gradient
 Globulins (Ab)
 Fibrinogen
 Other solutes
 Electrolytes
Serum = Plasma – Clotting factors
 Nutrients
 Trace Elements
 Dissolved gases

17. Serum = Plasma – Clotting factors

19. • Plasma Proteins
• Albumin
• Globulin- α₁, α₂, β₁, β₂, γ
• Fibrinogen
Origin:
Liver- Albumin & Fibrinogen
Plasma cells, lymphocytes, tissue
macrophages- Globulin

20. Plasma proteins
 concentration 65 –80 g  l (6.4-8.3gm%)
 simple or conjugated (glycoproteins, lipoproteins)
 separation:
 a) salting-out methods  albumin, globulins, fibrinogen
 b) electrophoresis  albumin, globulin 1, 2, ,  fractions:
- 

2
1
albumin
+

21. Plasma proteins
 more than 90% are synthesized in the liver
 Albumins
 55% of plasma proteins
 Responsible for viscosity and osmotic pressure of blood
 3-5 gm% (average 4.8gm%)

23. Plasma Proteins
 Globulin is 38%of plasma Proteins
 2-3 gm%(average 2.3gm%)
 13% α globulin: 0.79-0.84 gm%
 14% β globulin : 0.78-0.81 gm%
 11% γ globulin: 0.66-0.70 gm%
 A/G ratio :1.7-1
 7% Fibrinogen: 0.3 gm%
 Prothrombin: 40 mg %

24.  Globulins
 ~38% of plasma proteins
 Include immunoglobins which attack foreign proteins
and pathogens
 Include transport globulins which bind ions, hormones
and other compounds
 Fibrinogen
 Converted to fibrin during clotting
 Removal of fibrinogen leaves serum

25. Functions of Plasma Proteins
 Exert Osmotic Pressure :
 Contribution to Blood Viscosity
 Role in Coagulation of Blood
 Role in Defense Mechanism of Body
 Role in maintaining acid –base balance of body
 Transport Function

26. Exert osmotic pressure
 Plasma proteins can’t cross capillary membrane
so exert colloidal osmotic pressure of about
25mmHg on capillary membrane. 80% of COP is
contributed by Albumin
 COP plays an important role in exchange of
water between blood & tissue fluid
 At arterial end of capillaries, due to high
Hydrostatic Pressure than COP there occurs
filtration of fluid out in tissues
 At venous end of capillaries due to lower HP than
COP there occur absorption of fluid from tissues
in to vessels

27. Contribution to Blood Viscosity
 Shape of Plasma Proteins Greatly contribute
to Viscosity of Blood.
 Fibrinogen & globulins are main contributors
due to their asymetrical shape
 The Blood Viscosity plays an important role in
the maintenance of Blood Pressure by
providing resistance to flow of blood .

28. Role in Coagulation of Blood
 The Fibrinogen ,Prothrombin & other
coagulation proteins present in plasma play
important role in the coagulation of Blood.
 Whenever ,there is injury to blood vessels, the
fibrinogen is converted in to fibrin which form
blood clot

29. Role in Defense
 The Gamma globulins are anti bodies which
plays an important role in the immune
system meant for defense of the body
against the micro-organisms

30. Acid-Base Balance
 Plasma Proteins acts as Buffers
 Contribute for 15% buffering capacity of Blood
 PP are amphhoteric in nature means can
combine with acids and bases.
 In Acidic Ph the NH2 group of the proteins acts
as base & accept proton & is converted to NH4
 In Alkaline Ph the COOH group of the protein
act as acid & can donate a proton & thus
become COO-

31. Transport Function
 PP can combine easily with many substances
& play an essential role in their transport
 CO2 is transported by PP in the form of carb-
amino compounds
 Thyroxine- is transported by an alpha –
globuline called TBP
 Cortisol is transported by
transcortin(mucoprotein)

32. Transport Function
 Vitamins A,D & E are transported by the high
and low density lipoproteins.
 Bilirubin is transported with Albumin & also
with fractions of alpha globulin.
 Drugs are transported with Albumin
 Ca++ of plasma is 50% bound to proteins for
transport.
 Cu is bound to ceruloplasmin(alpha globulin)
for transport
 Free HB in the vessels is bound to haptoglobin
& is carried to reticulo-endothelial system

37. Causes of Albumin Deficiency
 Liver diseases (cirrhosis) – decrease in the ratio of albumin to
globulins
 Protein malnutrition
 Excessive excretion by kidneys (renal disease)
 Mutation causing analbuminemia (affects splicing)