What Makes Up Blood
by Sam Ngwu Jr and Cooper Godwin
The study of serum and other bodily fluids, such as blood, is Serology. In practice, the term usually refers to the diagnostic identification of antibodies in the serum.
Serum is an amber colored protein rich liquid that separates when blood coagulates. Blood serum of an animal is used especially to provide immunity to a pathogen or toxin by inoculation or as a diagnostic agent.
Plasma is the colorless fluid part of blood. However blood plasma is the component of blood that holds the blood cells and whole blood in suspension. This makes plasma the extra cellular matrix of blood cells and makes up about 55% of the bodies total blood volume.
Antibodies, also called immunoglobulins, are large Y shaped proteins which function to identify and help remove foreign antigens or targets such as viruses and bacteria. Their are many different antibodies that recognize a specific foreign antigens.
An antigen is a molecule capable of inducing an immune response on the part of the host organism, though sometimes antigens can be part of the host itself. In other words, an antigen is any substance that causes an immune system to produce antibodies against it.
Erythrocytes, also known as red blood cells, are the most common type of blood cell and are essential to a vertebrate organisims means of delivering oxygen to the body tissue- via blood flow through the circulatory system.
One of the most important uses of blood is through blood transfusions, and thanks to the ABO blood group system, blood is able to be categorized and destributed to its proper recipients. Without the ABO system people could receive the wrong blood type and can be susceptible to blood poisoning.
The Rh blood group system (including the Rh factor) is one of thirty-five current human blood group systems. It is the most important blood group system after ABO. At present, the Rh blood group system consists of 50 defined blood-group antigens, among which the five antigens D, C, c, E, and e are the most important.
The Leukocytes, other wise known as white blood cells, is a colorless cell that circulates in the blood and body fluids and is involved in counteracting foreign substances and disease. There are several types, all amoeboid cells with a nucleus, including lymphocytes, granulocytes, monocytes, and macrophages.
Platelets are one of the most important pieces in a blood cell. Platelets are little pieces of blood cells. Platelets help wounds heal and prevent bleeding by forming blood clots. Your bone marrow makes platelets. Problems can result from having too few or too many platelets, or from platelets that do not work properly.
Hemoglobin is the protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs. Hemoglobin is made up of four protein molecules (globulin chains) that are connected together.
There are 13 blood clotting proteins (Blood factor) found in the blood. They are designated by Roman Numerals I through XIII. When a blood vessel is damaged, these clotting factors are switched on in a certain order (Blood Clotting Cascade) and work to form a clot.