Table of contents:
- What are the various components of human blood?
- 1.Red blood cells (erythrocytes)
- 2.White blood cells (leukocytes)
- 3. Platelets (platelets)
- 4. Blood plasma
Apart from water, blood also flows all over your body. Without blood, you can be sure that oxygen and food juices will be difficult to deliver properly throughout the body. However, did you know that blood consists of several components, each of which has a different role? Come on, get to know the various components of blood in the body and their respective functions!
What are the various components of human blood?
Blood is composed of a combination of blood plasma and blood cells, all of which circulate throughout the body. These blood cells are then divided into three types, namely red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
So overall, the components of human blood consist of four types, including blood plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets (platelets / blood plates).
All of its components have their respective duties and functions that support the work of blood in the body. Here's the full review.
1.Red blood cells (erythrocytes)
Red blood cells are known to be dark red in color with a fairly large number of cells in the blood, compared to the other two blood compositions, namely leukocytes and platelets. The dark red color is due to the presence of hemoglobin, a protein that binds oxygen in the blood.
Apart from hemoglobin, there are also hematocrit in red blood cells. Hematocrit is the volume of red blood cells compared to the volume of total blood (red blood cells and plasma).
Erythrocytes are round with a hollow (bikonkaf) in the middle. Unlike other cells, red blood cells are easier to change shape to adapt to themselves as they pass through various blood vessels in the body.
Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, the following are normal levels of red blood cells that can be detected with a complete blood test:
- Men: 4.32-5.72 million cells per microliter of blood
- Women: 3.90-5.03 million cells per microliter of blood
Meanwhile, normal levels of hemoglobin and normal hematocrit are:
- Hemoglobin: 132-166 grams per liter (men) and 116-150 grams per liter (women)
- Hematocrit: 38.3-48.6 percent (male) and 35.5-44.9 percent (female)
In addition to providing a distinctive red color, hemoglobin is also responsible for helping erythrocytes carry oxygen from the lungs to be circulated throughout the body, as well as transporting carbon dioxide from all over the body to the lungs for excretion. The percentage of total blood volume that is made up of red blood cells is called a hematocrit.
Red blood cells are formed in the spinal cord and are controlled by a hormone mainly produced by the kidneys, namely erythropoietin. Red blood cells undergo a maturation process for seven days in the bone marrow and then released into the bloodstream.
Generally, the lifespan of red blood cells only lasts about four months or 120 days. During this time, your body will regularly replace and produce new red blood cells.
2.White blood cells (leukocytes)
Compared to red blood cells, white blood cells have a much lesser number in the entire composition. Even so, these blood components carry out a task that is not playing games, namely fighting viral, bacterial, and fungal infections that trigger disease development. This is because white blood cells produce antibodies that will help fight these foreign substances.
Normally, the number of white blood cells in adults is 3,400-9,600 cells per microliter of blood, which consists of several types.
The following types of white blood cells are produced by bone marrow, complete with the normal percentage in adults:
- Neutrophils (50-60 percent)
- Lymphocytes (20-40 percent)
- Monocytes (2-9 percent)
- Eosinophils (1-4 percent)
- Basophils (0.5-2 percent)
All of them have the same duty to maintain the immune system. The lifespan of white blood cells is quite long, it can be in a matter of days, months, to years, depending on the type.
3. Platelets (platelets)
Source: Net Doctor
Slightly different from white and red blood cells, platelets are not actually cells. Platelets or sometimes also called platelets are small cell fragments. This one blood component is also known as a platelet.
Platelets have an important role in the process of blood clotting (coagulation) when the body is injured. Precisely, the platelets will form a blockage with the fibrin thread to stop bleeding, as well as stimulate the growth of new tissue in the wound area.
A normal platelet count in the blood, which is between 150,000-400,000 platelets per microliter of blood. If the platelet count is higher than the normal range, it can result in unnecessary blood clots. Finally, there is a risk of causing stroke and heart attack.
Meanwhile, if a person lacks the number of platelets in the blood, it will cause heavy bleeding because the blood is difficult to clot.
4. Blood plasma
Blood plasma is a liquid component of blood. The blood in your body, about 55-60 percent is blood plasma. Blood plasma itself is composed of approximately 92% water, and the remaining 8% is carbon dioxide, glucose, amino acids (proteins), vitamins, fats, and mineral salts.
The main task of blood plasma is to transport blood cells, which are then circulated throughout the body with nutrients, body waste products, antibodies, clotting proteins (coagulation factors), and chemicals such as hormones and proteins that help maintain body fluid balance.
Clotting proteins carried by plasma will later work with platelets as clotting factors (coagulation) in the blood clotting process.
In addition to circulating various important materials, blood plasma also functions to balance blood volume and electrolyte (salt) levels, including sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, and bicarbonate.
The four components of blood that have been mentioned have a very important role in your life. Therefore, take care of your health to prevent various diseases related to blood. One of them is by living a healthy lifestyle.
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