BLOOD CELLS

Alapati

Vd. Alapati Vinod Kumar

• An RBC is a 7.5 micron (diameter RBC/
of capillary 8 – 10µm) disc shaped
body with a central depression Erythrocytes
• The RBC is without a nucleus or
mitochondria
• It contains hemoglobin &
filamentous proteins attached to
the cell wall to impart flexibility on
it & Antigens are embedded in the
cell membrane, they decide the
blood group
• Most numerous of the formed elements
– Females: 4.3 – 5.2 million cells/cubic
millimeter
– Males: 5.2 – 5.8 million cells/cubic
millimeter
• Made in the red bone marrow at the
ends of long bones & flat bones.
• Average lifespan 100 – 120 days
 Mechanism of Transport
* 4 Heme Molecules =
* 4 Oxygen Molecules
*Oxygenated Hemoglobin
Bright Red (systemic)
*Deoxygenated Hemoglobin
Blue (venous circulation) HEMOGLOBIN
Every erythrocyte has more
than 250 million hemoglobin
molecules- which means each
RBC can carry more than a
billion oxygen molecules…
 Formation of New RBC’s

Ruptured cells must be replaced by new cells by a

process called……… ..Erythropoiesis

Secretion of the hormone erythropoietin

New RBC’s (and platelets & leukocytes) are produced

in the Bone Marrow
 Too few, Too many
• Anemia – low hematocrit (below-normal
oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood)
– Nutritional, pernicious, aplastic, renal,
hemorrhagic, hemolytic

• Polycythemia- abnormally high hematocrit

(too many RBCs in circulation)
– Primary, secondary
 White Blood Cells
• Mobile units of body’s defense system
which Protects the body from infectious
microorganisms
• 4,800 – 11,000/cubic millimeter
• Function outside the bloodstream in
loose connective tissue
• WBCs have a nucleus and are larger than
RBCs
• Most produced in bone marrow
• Lifespan of 12 hours to several years
 Leukocytes – White Blood Cells (WBCs)
• Two types of
leukocytes
– Granulocytes
– Agranulocytes

• Differential WBC
Count
– Never - Neutrophils
– Let - Lymphocytes
– Monkeys - Monocytes
– Eat - Eosinophils
– Bananas - Basophils
Blood Cell Origin and Production
 Granulocytes of WBC’s
Neutrophils

Basophils

Eosinophils
 NEUTROPHILS
* 50-70% of all leukocytes
(most abundant of WBC’s)

*It is a polymorphonuclear cell

*With 3-6 lobes in the Nucleus
* Important in inflammatory
responses

* Phagocytes that engulf

bacteria and Debris
 EOSINOPHILS
*1-4% of the WBC's
*With 3-6 lobes in the Nucleus

*Attack parasitic worms like

flat & round worms.

* Important in allergic reactions

 BASOPHILS
*0.5% of the WBC's with large &
Purplish black staining granules

* Release histamine
and heparin
* Important in Allergic
Reactions causes vasodilatation

* Heparin helps clear fat from blood

 Agranulocytes Types of WBC’s

Monocytes

Lymphocytes
(B and T cells)
 MONOCYTES
*2-6 % of the WBC's
With large U or Kidney shaped
nucleus

* Exit blood (diapedesis)

to become macrophages

* Phagocytic = defend against

viruses and bacteria
 LYMPHOCYTES
*25-33 % of the WBC's
With spherical nucleus

* B-lymphocytes:
Produce Antibodies

* T-lymphocytes:
Directly destroy virus-
invaded cells and cancer
cells
 White Blood Cells
Type Of White Blood Cells % By Volume Of WBC Description Function

Neutrophils 60 – 70 % Nucleus has many Phagocytize and destory

interconnected lobes; blue bacteria; most numerous WBC
granules

Eosinophils 2–4% Nucleus has bilobed nuclei; red Play a role in ending allergic
or yellow granules containing reactions
digestive enzymes

Basophils <1% Bilobed nuclei hidden by large Function in inflammation

purple granules full of chemical medication; similar in function to
mediators of inflammation mast cells

Lymphocytes (B Cells and 20 – 25 % Dense, purple staining, round the most important cells of the
T Cells) nucleus; little cytoplasm immune system; effective in
fighting infectious organisms;
act against a specific foreign
molecule (antigen)

Monocytes 4–8% Largest leukocyte; kidney Transform into macrophages;

shaped nucleus phagocytic cells
 Platelets

Platelets
• Platelets are only about 20% of
the diameter of red blood cells,
the most numerous cell of the
blood.
• The normal platelet count is
150,000-350,000 per microliter of
blood
• Platelets are produced in bone
marrow and destroyed in the
spleen and liver
• Life span 5 to 9 days
 Haemostasis
* The term haemostasis means prevention of
blood loss.

* Haemostasis is the process of forming clots

in the walls of damaged blood vessels and
preventing blood loss, while maintaining
blood in a fluid state within the vascular
system.
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 Mechanism
Haemostasis involves 4 main
steps:
1. Vascular spasm
2. Platelets reaction
3. Formation of platelet plug
4. Blood coagulation
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 I-Vascular spasm
Reduces flow of blood from injured
vessel.

Cause:
1- Sympathetic reflex
2- Release of vasoconstrictors from
platelets that close to the walls of
damaged vessels. 21
II- Platelet plug formation
Mechanism:
Platelet adherence

Platelet activation

Platelet aggregation 22
 Functional characteristics of
platelets
• The cell membrane of platelets contains:
– A coat of glycoprotein (receptors) that
cause adherence to injured endothelial cells
and exposed collagen.
– Phospholipids, that play an important role
in blood clotting.
Platelet union: When a blood vessel wall is
injured, platelets stick to the exposed collagen
and von Willebrand factor in the wall via
platelet receptors → Platelet activation. 23
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 Blood Coagulation
The clotting mechanism involves a cascade of
reactions in which clotting factors are activated.
Most of them are plasma proteins synthesized by
the liver (vitamin K is needed for the synthesis of
factor II, VII, IX and X).
They are always present in the plasma in an
inactive form.
It occurs in three stages:
Stage 1: Formation of Thromboplastin
Stage 2: Conversion of Prothrombin into Thrombin
Stage 3: Conversion of Fibrinogen into Fibrin
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 Blood Coagulation
• The ultimate step in clot formation is the conversion
of fibrinogen → fibrin.

+ IV
IV,V, VII & X &
XIII

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2nd Year Physiotherapy- November
2008
Factor X can be activated by
reactions in either of 2
systems:

An Intrinsic system.
An Extrinsic system

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 Clot retraction
Clot formation is fully developed in 3-
6 min
Contraction of platelets trapped
within the clot shrinks the fibrin
meshwork pulling the edges of the
damaged vessel closer together.
During clot retraction serum is
squeezed from the clot. 31
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2nd Year Physiotherapy- November
2008
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