Human Anatomy: Blood - Cells, Plasma, Circulation, and More

Plasma contains proteins that help blood to clot, transport substances through the blood, and perform other functions. Blood plasma also ... MenuCholesterolManagementHeartDiseaseHeartFailureHypertensionStrokeNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesQuestions&AnswersFindaCardiologistAbnormalRhythmsAtrialFibrillationBloodClotsCardiomyopathyHighBloodPressure&EDMetabolicSyndromeTuberousSclerosisMoreRelatedTopicsHeartHealthReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyCarolDerSarkissian, MDonJune23,2021ImageSource©2014WebMD,LLC.Allrightsreserved.Bloodisaconstantlycirculatingfluidprovidingthebodywithnutrition,oxygen,andwasteremoval.Bloodismostlyliquid,withnumerouscellsandproteinssuspendedinit,makingblood"thicker"thanpurewater.Theaveragepersonhasabout5liters(morethanagallon)ofblood.Aliquidcalledplasmamakesupabouthalfofthecontentofblood.Plasmacontainsproteinsthathelpbloodtoclot,transportsubstancesthroughtheblood,andperformotherfunctions.Bloodplasmaalsocontainsglucoseandotherdissolvednutrients.Abouthalfofbloodvolumeiscomposedofbloodcells:•Redbloodcells,whichcarryoxygentothetissues•Whitebloodcells,whichfightinfections•Platelets,smallercellsthathelpbloodtoclotBloodisconductedthroughbloodvessels(arteriesandveins).Bloodispreventedfromclottinginthebloodvesselsbytheirsmoothness,andthefinelytunedbalanceofclottingfactors.BloodConditionsHemorrhage(bleeding):Bloodleakingoutofbloodvesselsmaybeobvious,asfromawoundpenetratingtheskin.Internalbleeding(suchasintotheintestines,orafteracaraccident)maynotbeimmediatelyapparent.Hematoma:Acollectionofbloodinsidethebodytissues.Internalbleedingoftencausesahematoma.Leukemia:Aformofbloodcancer,inwhichwhitebloodcellsmultiplyabnormallyandcirculatethroughtheblood.Theabnormalwhitebloodcellsmakegettingsickfrominfectionseasierthannormal.Multiplemyeloma:Aformofbloodcancerofplasmacellssimilartoleukemia.Anemia,kidneyfailureandhighbloodcalciumlevelsarecommoninmultiplemyeloma.Lymphoma:Aformofbloodcancer,inwhichwhitebloodcellsmultiplyabnormallyinsidelymphnodesandothertissues.Theenlargingtissues,anddisruptionofblood'sfunctions,caneventuallycauseorganfailure.Anemia:Anabnormallylownumberofredbloodcellsintheblood.Fatigueandbreathlessnesscanresult,althoughanemiaoftencausesnonoticeablesymptoms.Hemolyticanemia:Anemiacausedbyrapidburstingoflargenumbersofredbloodcells(hemolysis).Animmunesystemmalfunctionisonecause.Hemochromatosis:Adisordercausingexcessivelevelsofironintheblood.Theirondepositsintheliver,pancreasandotherorgans,causingliverproblemsanddiabetes.Sicklecelldisease:Ageneticconditioninwhichredbloodcellsperiodicallylosetheirpropershape(appearinglikesickles,ratherthandiscs).Thedeformedbloodcellsdepositintissues,causingpainandorgandamage.Bacteremia:Bacterialinfectionoftheblood.Bloodinfectionsareserious,andoftenrequirehospitalizationandcontinuousantibioticinfusionintotheveins.Malaria:InfectionofredbloodcellsbyPlasmodium,aparasitetransmittedbymosquitos.Malariacausesepisodicfevers,chills,andpotentiallyorgandamage.Thrombocytopenia:Abnormallylownumbersofplateletsintheblood.Severethrombocytopeniamayleadtobleeding.Leukopenia:Abnormallylownumbersofwhitebloodcellsintheblood.Leukopeniacanresultindifficultyfightinginfections.Disseminatedintravascularcoagulation(DIC):Anuncontrolledprocessofsimultaneousbleedingandclottinginverysmallbloodvessels.DICusuallyresultsfromsevereinfectionsorcancer.Hemophilia:Aninherited(genetic)deficiencyofcertainbloodclottingproteins.Frequentoruncontrolledbleedingcanresultfromhemophilia.Hypercoaguablestate:Numerousconditionscanresultinthebloodbeingpronetoclotting.Aheartattack,stroke,orbloodclotsinthelegsorlungscanresult.Polycythemia:Abnormallyhighnumbersofredbloodcellsintheblood.Polycythemiacanresultfromlowbloodoxygenlevels,ormayoccurasacancer-likecondition.Deepvenousthrombosis(DVT):Abloodclotinadeepvein,usuallyintheleg.DVTsaredangerousbecausetheymaybecomedislodgedandtraveltothelungs,causingapulmonaryembolism(PE).Myocardialinfarction(MI):Commonlycalledaheartattack,amyocardialinfarctionoccurswhenasuddenbloodclotdevelopsinoneofthecoronaryarteries,whichsupplybloodtotheheart.BloodTestsCompletebloodcount:Ananalysisoftheconcentrationofredbloodcells,whitebloodcells,andplateletsintheblood.Automatedcellcountersperformthistest.https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/complete-blood-count-cbcBloodsmear:Dropsofbloodaresmearedacrossamicroscopeslide,tobeexaminedbyanexpertinalab.Leukemia,anemia,malaria,andnumerousotherbloodconditionscanbeidentifiedwithabloodsmear.Bloodtype:Atestforcompatibilitybeforereceivingabloodtransfusion.Themajorbloodtypes(A,B,AB,andO)aredeterminedbytheproteinmarkers(antigens)presentonthesurfaceofredbloodcells.Coombstest:Abloodtestlookingforantibodiesthatcouldbindtoanddestroyredbloodcells.PregnantwomenandpeoplewithanemiamayundergoCoombstesting.Bloodculture:Abloodtestlookingforinfectionpresentinthebloodstream.Ifbacteriaorotherorganismsarepresent,theymaymultiplyinthetestedblood,allowingtheiridentification.Mixingstudy:Abloodtesttoidentifythereasonforbloodbeing"toothin"(abnormallyresistanttoclotting).Thepatient'sbloodismixedinatubewithnormalblood,andthemixedblood'spropertiesmayprovideadiagnosis.Bonemarrowbiopsy:Athickneedleisinsertedintoalargebone(usuallyinthehip),andbonemarrowisdrawnoutfortests.Bonemarrowbiopsycanidentifybloodconditionsthatsimplebloodtestscannot.BloodTreatmentsChemotherapy:Medicinesthatkillcancercells.Leukemiasandlymphomasareusuallytreatedwithchemotherapy.Bloodtransfusion:Ablooddonor'sredbloodcellsareseparatedfromtheirplasmaandpackedintoasmallbag.Transfusingtheconcentratedredbloodcellsintoarecipientreplacesbloodloss.Platelettransfusion:Ablooddonor'splateletsareseparatedfromtherestofbloodandconcentratedintoaplasticbag.Platelettransfusionisgenerallyonlyperformedwhenplateletcountsfalltoverylowlevels.Freshfrozenplasma:Ablooddonor'splasma(liquidblood)isseparatedfromthebloodcells,andfrozenforstorage.Plasmatransfusioncanimprovebloodclottingandpreventorstopbleedingthat'sduetoclottingproblems.Cryoprecipitate:Specificproteinsareseparatedfrombloodandfrozeninasmallvolumeofliquid.Cryoprecipitatetransfusioncanreplacespecificbloodclottingproteinswhentheirlevelsarelow,suchasinpeoplewithhemophilia.Anticoagulation:Medicinesto"thin"thebloodandpreventclottinginpeopleathighriskfrombloodclots.Heparin,enoxaparin(Lovenox)andwarfarin(Coumadin)arethemedicinesmostoftenused.Antiplateletdrugs:Aspirinandclopidogrel(Plavix)interferewithplateletfunctionandhelppreventbloodclots,includingthosethatcauseheartattacksandstrokes.Antibiotics:Medicinestokillbacteriaandparasitescantreatbloodinfectionscausedbytheseorganisms.Erythropoietin:Ahormoneproducedbythekidneythatstimulatesredbloodcellproduction.Amanufacturedformoferythropoietincanbegiventoimprovethesymptomsofanemia.Bloodletting:Inpeoplewithproblemscausedbytoomuchblood(suchasfromhemochromatosisorpolycythemia),occasionalcontrolledremovalofbloodmaybenecessary.CholesterolMedicines:WhichDrugIsRightforYou?WhattoKnowAboutYourHeartRateYourGuidetoUnderstandingMedicareAreYouatRiskforPrehypertension?[ss_icon]TheTruthAboutOmega-3HowtoWreckYourHeartRaiseYourHDLHowtoboostyour‘good’cholesterol.AreYouatRiskforStroke?Learnthecauses.HowtoWreckYourHeart5habitstochange.LowBloodPressureBasicsWhat'snormal?What'snot?Slideshow24FoodsThatCanSaveYourHeartQUIZCholesterolFactorFictionSlideshow12CluesYouCouldHaveHeartDiseaseSlideshowTheBestWaystoNourishYourHeartAssessmentQuitSmokingWithThisPersonalizedPlanSLIDESHOW15SimpleWaystoLowerCholesterolSLIDESHOWSeeSimpleWaystoLowerBloodPressureSlideshowHeartFailure:Causes,Symptoms,andTreatmentsWhichCholesterolMedIsRightforYou?TheWarningSignsofStrokeAfteraHeartAttackHowtoWreckYourHeartHeartburnorHeartAttack?HealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads