blood
...ly constitute about 45% of total volume of blood sample. - a thin, whitish layer called the Buffy coat is present at the erythrocyte-plasma junction; contains white blood cells that act in various ways to protect body and platelets, cell fragments that help stop bleeding. - Leukocytes and platelets contribute less than 1% of blood volume; plasma makes up most of the remaining 55% of whole blood. - Blood is denser than water and about five times more viscous, because of its formed elements. - Blood accounts for approximately 8% body weight. Functions: Distribution: - Delivering oxygen from the lungs and nutrients form the digestive tract to all body cells. - Transporting metabolic waste products from cells to elimination sites (to lungs for elimination of carbon dioxide, and to the kidneys for disposal of nitrogenous wastes in urine) - Transporting hormones from the endocrine organs to their target organs. Regulation: - keeping body temperature - Normal pH in body tissues. - Maintaining adequate fluid volume in circulatory system o Ex: salts prevent fluid loss from the bloodstream into tissue spaces Protection: - preventing blood loss - preventing infection Plasma: straw colored, sticky fluid; contains over 100 different dissolved solutes including nutrients, gases, hormones, wastes, and products of cell activity. - plasma proteins are NOT taken up by cells to be used as fuels - plasma proteins are produced by the liver Albumin: carrier to shuttle certain molecules through the circulation; 60% of plasma protein; important blood buffer - Plasma tra...