D eng

Z han
H ans
Ja so n
R a ch e l
1 0 v1 1

Components and
functions
Blood
RECAP

 Circulatory
system

S tru ctu r O rg a n iza tio

e n
Tra n sp o rt fu n ctio n
Blood

Average adult – 4.5 litres

Plasma, RBC, WBC, and
Platelets


Pro d u ce d b y
ste m ce lls in
b o n e m a rro w
Blood composition
INTRODUCTION: BLOOD
 Transport
 - Oxygen, nutrients, waste
products
 Protection
 - Clot wounds, kill pathogens and
 microbes
 Circulation
 - Maintain temperature

ANALOGY
The living Army
 Medics (WBC)
 Jeeps carrying supplies (RBC)

 Artillery/Infantry (Phagocytes &

Lymphocytes)
 Tanks carrying both troops and
supplies (Plasma)
 Army camp (Bone marrow)

Red Blood Cells (Erythrocytes)
 Most numerous type of blood cell
 Transport O2 and CO2
 Red colour – Haemoglobin

 Iron - containing
pigment

 Circulate for about four months – unable
to repair itself due to the absence of
mitochondrion and nucleus, hence its
relatively short life span
 Worn off cells are broken down in the
liver and spleen
ADAPTATION ADVANTAGE
RBC Functions
 Transportation of oxygen from lungs to
all parts of the body
Ø Iron atoms bind loosely with oxygen in
regions of high oxygen concentration
Ø Oxygen is released in regions of low
oxygen concentrations
 Removal of carbon dioxide from the
body through lungs



Haemoglobin
 Most efficient respiratory pigment –
combine readily with oxygen where
oxygen concentration is high
 Molecule consists of four subunits; two α-
chain subunits and two β-chain subunits
 Each polypeptide chain is associated with a
prosthetic group called haem group,
which is an iron porphyrin compound.
 Each haem group contains a ferrous iron
ion (Fe2+ ), which can combine reversibly
with one oxygen molecule.
White Blood Cells (LeuCocytes)
 Colourless
 Jelly
– like
 One large nucleus
 No definite shape
 allows the cell to squeeze through pores in capillary walls to
reach the sites of infection and carry out phagocytosis in order to
remove bacteria or damaged cells

 Livefor a few days

 Produced in the spleen

Function of WBC

 Protectsus from disease causing germs

 Engulf and digest cellular debris such
as worn out RBC
 Defend the body against viruses,
bacteria and other pathogens

 Anagent of disease. A disease

producer. The term pathogen most
commonly is used to refer to infectious
organisms. These include bacteria (such
as staph), viruses (such as HIV), and
fungi (such as yeast). 
Types of White Blood
Cells
 Phagocytosis
 Phagocytes attracted by chemicals products of
the micro organism.
 Attaches itself via a variety of surface receptors.

 Mirco organism engulfed by the phagocyte into a

vacuole
 Lysosomes fuse with the phagosome, releasing
digestive enzymes into the phagosome, the
structure resulted is know as a
phagolysosome.
 Inside the phagolysosome, the mirco organisms
are killed then digested
 The contents digested are eliminated via
Phagocytosis: Animation
 http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/007


White blood cell: Defense mechanism

 Inflammation

 Anti-body production
 Cell-meditated immunity


Antibodies

 Globulin (blood protein)



Produced
by

White
blood
cells
Antibodies

 An immunoglobulin, a specialized
immune protein produced
 combine with the very antigen
(agglutination)
 The production of antibodies is a major
function of the immune system and is
carried out B cell .
 Antibodies can be triggered by and
directed at foreign proteins,
microorganisms, or toxins.
Platelets
 Platelets are bits of cytoplasm wrapped
in plasma membrane.
 Lasts only five to nine days

 If an injury occurs, platelets release

substances that initiate blood clotting.
Platelets: Clotting
 Form a platelet plug which will effectively
close the wound if it’s small enough.
 If the wound is big and the platelet comes
into contact with air, the platelet would
disintegrate.
 This initiates a series of reaction and
clotting factors in the blood, leading to
the production of a fibrous protein
network.)
 Blood proteins called fibrinogens together
and forms a blood clot. Eventually, the
clot retracts and forms a compact patch
that seals the breach in the blood vessel.
Fibrinogen

A protein in the blood plasma that is

essential for the coagulation of blood
 is converted to fibrin by thrombin and
ionized calcium during the clotting
process.
 The fibrinogen-free fluid obtained after
removal of the clot, called blood serum
 Serum = blood plasma - fibrinogen
Blood Plasma
 Watery fluid that is left when the
cellular constituents of blood are
removed
 Light yellow
 Contains various dissolved
substances
 Medium by which these constituents
are transported
 The substances carried in plasma:
plasma protein, nutrients, waste
products, gases,C aenzyme
rb o n and
hormones d ioxid e U re a
La ctic
a cid

 10%

90%
Plasma
 Dissolved substances: Nutrients,
wastes, signalling molecules, and
hundreds of plasma proteins
Plasma constituents
Bibliography
 Biology O level insights, by Beverly Tay,
Consultants: Prof Lee Sing Kong and Dr
Caroline Koh

Internet Resources:


 http://www.scribd.com/doc/25341029/188/Format
 http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/007249585
phagocytosis.html
 www.tutorvista.com



thANK YOU