PhysiologyLesson 1 of 1 in the course The Cardiovascular System: Blood

Blood: Components, Properties, Plasma, and Sampling

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Blood is a specialized connective tissue that transports materials throughout the body and helps protect the body and maintain stable internal conditions. This lesson introduces blood’s components and its major functions.

Like other connective tissues, blood consists of cellular elements and an extracellular matrix. The cellular elements, collectively called the formed elements, are red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets. Platelets are cell fragments rather than complete cells.

All flashcards

Formed elements
Red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets; platelets are cell fragments.
Hematocrit
The percentage of a blood sample made up of red blood cells.
Albumin
The most abundant plasma protein; it transports substances and contributes most to blood osmotic pressure.
Fibrinogen
A liver-produced plasma protein essential to blood clotting.
Serum
Plasma after clotting factors have been removed.

Quiz questions

  1. After a blood sample is centrifuged, what does its hematocrit quantify?Answer: The percentage of the sample occupied by red blood cells
  2. Which plasma protein makes the largest contribution to blood osmotic pressure?Answer: Albumin
  3. What is serum?Answer: Plasma with clotting factors removed
  4. Which blood collection method is used to obtain a sample for blood-gas analysis?Answer: An arterial stick
  5. What is the typical healthy range for blood pH?Answer: 7.35 to 7.45

Based on Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts, Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, Eddie Johnson, Brandon Poe, Dean H. Kruse, Oksana Korol, Jody E. Johnson, Mark Womble, Peter DeSaix (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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