Blood, tissue fluid and lymph

Blood
An adult weighing 70 kg has 5-6 litres of blood
Functions of blood
Transport various substances

Oxygen
Carbon dioxide
Hormones
Glucose, amino acid, lipids
Urea/salts
Proteins
Water
antibodies

Distribution of heat
Defence against disease
Message-transfer using hormones

Blood
Structure
Plasma
Makes up 55% of blood
90% is water
Pale yellow in colour

45% consists of cells

Erythrocytes / Red Blood cells
(RBC)
Carry oxygen

Leucocytes / White blood cells

(WBC)
Help against infections

Platelets
Used for clotting

Plasma
90% water
10% includes:
Dissolved food from digestion
Glucose
Amino acids

Salts
Help keep the blood at the right concentration and the cells working
properly
Na+, Cl-, Ca2+

Proteins
Help the blood clot and help to protect the body against invaders

Hormones
Control the way the body responds

Waste materials
Carbon dioxide
urea

Erythrocytes (Red Blood Cells)

Biconcave in shape
Made in the bone marrow
No nucleus
Contain the protein haemoglobin which carries
oxygen
Live for 120 days
Travel once around circulatory system every 75
seconds
Shortage of haemoglobin = anaemia
Symptoms = tiredness

Leucocytes (White blood cells)

Two types identified by the shape of their
nucleus.
Phagocytes
Lymphocytes

Protect the body against diseases

Can be destroyed by cancer = leukaemia and by
HIV.

White blood cells

Phagocytes
Made in red bone marrow
Contain a nucleus that has several
lobes
Used to defend us against disease
by killing germs which enter the
body
Kill by engulfing (eating) germs
Dead phagocytes often contain
dead bacteria = pus
Dispose of old red blood cells

White blood cells

Lymphocytes
Produce proteins called antibodies to destroy
germs and react with poisons to make them
harmless.
Nucleus is large and circular in shape
Made in bone marrow
Two kinds
T-cells (mature in thymus)
Deal with body cells that have become infected

B-cells (live in lymph nodes)

Secrete antibodies which deal with micro-organisms

Platelets

Made in the red bone marrow

Fragments of cells
No nucleus
Used for blood clotting

Blood groups
Four different blood groups
A
B
AB
O

Relate to which type of antigen is on the

surface of the RBC

Blood types

Blood transfusions
If a blood type is given to someone that
does not match than the blood will clump =
agglutination. This is harmful.
a persons blood will contain the antibodies
for the antigens NOT present in their
blood.
Universal donor = O
Universal receiver = AB
Rhesus
Most people are 'rhesus positive' as they have
rhesus antigens on their red blood cells
about 3 in 20 people do not have rhesus
antibodies and are said to be 'rhesus negative'.

Tissue fluid
similar to blood plasma
contains white blood cells, oxygen, nutrients (glucose,
amino acids, fatty acids), neurotransmitters, waste
products, salts etc.
no red blood cells, plasma proteins, platelets
- too large to pass through capillary membranes
Tissue fluid composition depends on location in body
(lymph and tissue fluid at liver have high concentrations
of protein and at small intestine has large amount of
lipids

Lymph
exactly the same as tissue fluid
but is within lymph vessels
10% of fluid from capillaries is
returned to blood via lymph vessels
and drains into subclavian vein
under collar bone
lymph vessels have valves so
tissue fluid can enter but lymph
cant leave
proteins produced by cells can
move from tissue fluid into lymph
vessels through valves to prevent
oedema (build up of tissue fluid)

Lymph nodes
various points in the lymph vessels produce white
blood cells that remove microbes and debris and
secrete antibodies