What are the Components of Blood?
Human blood consists of about 22 percent solids and 78 percent water. The components of human blood are: • plasma, in which the blood cells are suspended, including: • red blood cells (erythrocytes) – carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. • white blood cells (leukocytes) – help fight infections and aid in the immune process. Types of white blood cells include: • lymphocytes • monocytes • eosinophils • basophils • neutrophils (granulocytes) • platelets (thrombocytes) – help in blood clotting.
Human blood consists of about 22 percent solids and 78 percent water. The components of human blood are: • plasma, in which the blood cells are suspended, including: • red blood cells (erythrocytes) – carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. • white blood cells (leukocytes) – help fight infections and aid in the immune process. Types of white blood cells include: • lymphocytes • monocytes • eosinophils • basophils • neutrophils (granulocytes) • platelets (thrombocytes) – help in blood clotting. • fat globules • chemical substances, including: • carbohydrates • proteins • hormones • gases, including: • oxygen • carbon dioxide • nitrogen Where are blood cells made? Blood cells are made in the bone marrow. The bone marrow is the spongy material in the center of the bones that produces about 95 percent of the body’s blood cells. There are other organs and systems in our bodies that help regulate blood cells. The lymph nodes, spleen, and liver help regulate the production, destr
Even though it’s such a basic and important part of us, many of us do not actually know what our blood is made of. The main components of blood include three types of cells and the plasma, which is the liquid in which the cells float. Some secondary components of blood are nutrients, clotting agents, various hormones, and waste products that have not yet been removed from the body. The three types of blood cells that are included in blood are red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The red blood cells, or erythrocytes, are probably what most people think of when they think about the composition of blood. These cells use hemoglobin to transport oxygen throughout the body. It’s this hemoglobin, actually the iron in the hemoglobin, that gives blood its red color. Red blood cells are relatively round with indentations in the center. When the blood goes from the heart to the lungs, the hemoglobin molecules bind with the oxygen in the lungs. After the blood passes through the lung
