I. Structure, i.e. components of the human blood: Human blood is a fluid connective tissue consisting of blood plasma and blood corpuscles suspended in it.
1. Plasma: Plasma is the fluid part of the blood which is pale yellow in colour. It is slightly alkaline in nature. It has 90-92% water, 6-8 % proteins and 1-2 % inorganic salts.
It contains proteins such as albumin, globulin, fibrinogen, etc. There are inorganic ions such as Ca, Na and K.
2. Blood cells:
a. Blood cells are mainly of three types, viz. RBCs, WBCs and blood platelets. They are produced in the red bone marrow.
b. RBCs are small, circular and enucleated cells. They are full of haemoglobin which is essential in transporting oxygen. RBCs are red blood cells which are 50 to 60 lakh per cubic millimetre. Their life span is 100 to 127 days.
c. WBCs are large, nucleated and colourless. They are of five subtypes, viz. neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, monocytes and lymphocytes. They are 5 to 10 thousands per millimetre of blood.
d. Platelets are very small disc-shaped blood cells which are 2.5 to 4 lakh per cubic millimetre of blood.
II. Function of human blood:
1. Transport functions:
- Gases: Oxygen is carried via blood from lungs to cells in various parts of body and carbon dioxide from tissues to lungs.
- Nutrients: Simple nutrients like glucose, amino acids, fatty acids are taken up by blood from wall of alimentary canal and transported up to each cell in the body.
- Waste materials: Nitrogenous wastes like ammonia, urea, creatinine are released by tissues into blood which carries those to kidney for excretion.
- Enzymes and hormones: Blood transports the enzymes and hormones from the site of their production to the site of their action.
2. Protection: Antibodies are produced in the blood and they protect the body from microbes and other harmful particles.
3. Thermoregulation: Body temperature is maintained constant at 37 °C by vasodilation and vasoconstriction.
4. Maintaining the balance of minerals like Na, K in the body.
5. If bleeding occurs at the injury, platelets and a protein called fibrinogen of the blood form a clot and seal the injury.
6. Functions of blood cells:
- RBCs: With haemoglobin it carries out transport of respiratory gases.
- WBCs: Soldiers of the body. Produce antibodies and give immunity to body.
- Platelets: Help in blood clotting.
