Blood…an introduction
| Blood is the river of life that
flows through the human body. We cannot live
without it. The heart pumps blood to all our
body cells, supplying them with oxygen and
food. At the same time, blood carries carbon
dioxide and other waste products from the
cells. Blood also fights infection, keeps
our temperature steady, and carries chemicals
that regulate many body functions. Finally,
blood even has substances that plug broken
blood vessels and so prevent us from bleeding
to death. |
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The hospital is having its own blood bank
where 130 to 140 bags are always kept in
stock. The daily overflow of blood is 10
to 12 bags. The hi-tech fridges are available
to preserve the blood.
Blood Donation Camps are arranged in the
area surroundings frequently. Thats the
major source of blood.
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Stock
of 130 to 140 Bags always available Daily
Outflow 10 to 12
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The composition of blood
Blood consists of cells that move about in a watery
liquid called Plasma. Three types of cells make
up the formed elements
A microliter (1/30,000 of an ounce) of blood
normally contains about 4 million to 6 million
red blood cells, 5,000 to 10,000 white blood cells,
and 150,000 to 500,000 platelets. The red and
white blood cells are also called Corpuscles.
| 1 |
Plasma
Plasma is the liquid, straw-colored part of
blood. It makes up about 50 to 60 per cent
of the total volume of blood. |
| 2 |
Red Blood Cells
Red blood cells, also called erythrocytes,
carry oxygen to body tissues and remove carbon
dioxide. |
| 3 |
White Blood Cells
White blood cells, also called leukocytes,
fight infections and harmful substances that
invade the body. |
| 4 |
Platelets
Platelets, also known as thrombocytes, are
disk like structures that help stop bleeding.
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What blood does in the
body?
The major jobs of blood are to transport oxygen
and nutrients to body tissues and to remove wastes.
To accomplish those tasks, blood must flow to
all parts of the body. It does so by means of
our circulatory system, which consists of the
heart, a vast network of blood vessels, and the
blood itself. It does a variety of jobs in the
body such as-
Carrying oxygen & carbon dioxide
Transporting nutrients & wastes
Protecting against disease
Carrying hormones
Distributing body heat
How the body maintains
its blood supply?
We cannot live without a proper supply of healthy
blood. In addition, the amounts of the various
blood components (parts) must change constantly
as the needs of our body change. Our body maintains
Blood Drop its blood supply by:
Regulating the volume of
blood components
Controlling bleeding
Replacing worn-out blood components
Blood Groups
The membranes of red blood cells contain proteins
called antigens. More than 300 red-cell antigens
have been identified. Based on the presence or
absence of particular antigens, scientists have
classified human blood into various groups. A,
B & O
The Rh Blood Types
Rh blood types form the second major blood-group
system. People who have Rh antigens on their red
blood cells are Rh positive. The antigen itself
is called the Rh factor. People who lack the factor
are Rh negative. Most people are Rh positive.
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Blood Transfusion
Blood transfusion is the transfer of whole
blood or blood components into a person's
bloodstream. People who lose large amounts
of blood in accidents, during surgery or
due to some illnesses often need blood transfusions.
Blood Transfusion is a safe and effective
medical procedure that saves many lives.
After donating blood the donor (if properly
selected) does not feel any weakness and
the donated amount of blood is replaced
with in 24 hours to one week. Blood donation
can be repeated safely after 2 to 3 months.
Blood Donation Camp,
Frequently Taken
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Most people need only some parts of blood in
a transfusion. For example, in a disease called
hemophilia, blood does not clot normally. A person
with hemophilia can receive a transfusion of clotting
factors, the plasma proteins that cause blood
to clot. Another person can receive a transfusion
of red blood cells from the same unit of blood.
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