Blood Test
Blood's Role in Forensic Science
Example of When Blood Played A Significant Role in a Case
Vocabulary
Plasma: Clear fluid in the blood that transports nutrients throughout the body.
Antibodies: A protein in the blood produced in response to an antigen. They chemically meld to a foreign body in the blood so that the immune system knows what to take out.
Antigens: A foreign substance detected in the body.
Erythrocytes: A red blood cell that is typically a biconcave disc without a nucleus. They transport oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body.
Rh: Rh is a blood group system that consists of 49 blood group antigens.
Leukocyte: A colorless cell that circulates in the blood and body fluids involved in counteracting foreign substances and disease.
Platelets: A small colorless disk shaped cell fragment without a nucleus, found in large numbers in blood involved in clotting.
Hemoglobin: A red protein responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood of vertebrates. Its molecule comprises four sub units each containing an iron atom bound to a heme group.
Serum: An amber colored liquid that separates from blood when it coagulates.
Fun Facts
Hemoglobin was first discovered in 1840.
The average human body has 5.5 liters of blood.
Blood is 54% plasma, 45% red blood cells, and the remainder is white blood cells.