Blood is the liquid tissue of a living organism.
Each person is filled with it individually: from four to five liters, and each person has their own, special composition.
The blood of an adult healthy person is 55% plasma and 45% other chemicals.
The bone marrow is responsible for how fluid tissue is created, filled, and distributed.
When the bone marrow is injured or its functions are impaired, the entire body suffers.
Both the quantitative and chemical composition and analysis parameters change. While a person is alive, the composition of his liquid tissue in the body is periodically updated. Sometimes there are more of some elements, sometimes of others. All elements are interconnected, and none can do without the other.
Plasma composition and functions of its elements
Most of the plasma is water, its amount is approximately 92% of the total volume. In addition to water, it includes the following substances:
- proteins;
- glucose;
- amino acids;
- fat and fat-like substances;
- hormones;
- enzymes;
- minerals (chlorine, sodium ions).
About 8% of the volume is proteins, which are the main part of plasma. It contains several types of proteins, the main ones being:
- albumins – 4-5%;
- globulins – about 3%;
- fibrinogen (belongs to globulins) – about 0.4%.
Main components
Like any concentrated solution, blood can be divided into a liquid part (plasma) and formed elements, which include red blood cells, platelets and leukocytes. Normally, the ratio between them is maintained at 4:6 (40-45% falls on the elements).
Doctors call this indicator “hematocrit”. Changes indicate increased blood density (more than 45%) due to loss of fluid through sweat, diarrhea, and massive burns. The opposite option is possible: blood thinning due to impaired synthesis and lack of formed elements, the introduction of a large volume of fluid.
Albumen
Albumin is the main plasma protein. It has a low molecular weight. Content in plasma is more than 50% of all proteins. Albumin is formed in the liver.
Protein functions:
- perform a transport function - transport fatty acids, hormones, ions, bilirubin, medications;
- take part in metabolism;
- regulate oncotic pressure;
- participate in protein synthesis;
- reserve amino acids;
- deliver medications.
A change in the level of this protein in plasma is an additional diagnostic sign. The condition of the liver is determined by the concentration of albumin, since many chronic diseases of this organ are characterized by its decrease.
What will the results tell us?
As soon as a malfunction occurs in the body, we are sent for a blood test. Laboratory assistants examine her condition under a microscope. Based solely on the results of this main analysis, the doctor prescribes treatment. In this case, it focuses on 9 main components:
- Hemoglobin. Red pigment, the main filler of red blood cells. Reduced hemoglobin levels will indicate anemia and possible blood loss. An increased level of hemoglobin will let the doctor know that not everything is okay with the cardiovascular or circulatory systems.
- Red blood cells. Their increase means the presence of steroid hormones in the body. If less - about anemia, the presence of inflammation and infections that have settled permanently (chronic diseases). Sometimes red blood cells increase in the last months of pregnancy.
- Leukocytes. If the indicator is exceeded, then there is an infection in the body and inflammatory processes occur. Often the level of white blood filler increases due to stress, physical or mental stress. But most of all, an excess of leukocyte levels indicates allergic manifestations, leukemia, and bacterial infections. If the indicator is low, then there is a viral infection, the permissible norm of analgesics or anticonvulsants used is exceeded.
- Platelets. They are responsible for how blood clots. An increase in the norm is a signal for concern. There is reason to believe that a disease has settled in the body: cirrhosis of the liver, ulcerative colitis or tuberculosis. When there are not enough platelets, there are suspicions of diseases of the blood, liver, and spleen. Severe alcoholic and other poisoning, as well as hormonal disorders, are noticeable in the state of platelets, as well as drug abuse: antibiotics, nitroglycerin, hormones.
- ESR or ROE. An increase in ESR gives an idea of how the disease progresses. On the second to fourth day, the ESR rises. ESR levels increase to the highest values when the disease recedes. ESR increases with post-traumatic, anaphylactic or post-operative shock, after childbirth, acute or chronic kidney disease, during menstruation, with anemia, and impaired blood circulation.
- Glucose. Glucose levels below normal indicate poor, insufficient and chaotic nutrition. Exceeding normal levels means that diabetes has crept in and is carrying out its destructive work.
- Total protein. Its indicators are sometimes sharply reduced. This means that the body should be brought back to normal after an intensive and long-term diet.
- Total bilirubin. Yellow liver pigment. When the bilirubin level is higher than normal, there is a suspicion of jaundice or cholelithiasis. Together with other pigments, acids and cholesterol, bilirubin promotes normal digestion and regulates the functioning of the pancreas. An increase in bilirubin often occurs with jaundice and other liver diseases.
- Creatinine. It accumulates in muscle mass, and then enters the bloodstream and is excreted from the body by the kidneys.
It is better not to allow its content to increase. Kidney failure is no joke. If the indicators of this element are below normal, then you should change your lifestyle and strengthen the immune system: add vitamins to your diet, exercise, and avoid stress. These are the main blood indicators that indicate our health. Knowing them, you can read the test results yourself and make sure how well and harmoniously the organs work.
At the clinic you can take blood tests and consult with an experienced therapist.
We work with the diagnostic laboratory “Hemotest“
For an accurate diagnosis of your health, we offer the author’s program of Nadezhda Grigorievna Mironyuk (a therapist of the highest category) “Mandatory examination”
Globulins
The remaining plasma proteins are classified as globulins, which are large in molecular weight. They are produced in the liver and in the organs of the immune system. Main types:
- alpha globulins,
- beta globulins,
- gamma globulins.
Alpha globulins bind bilirubin and thyroxine, activate the production of proteins, transport hormones, lipids, vitamins, and microelements.
Beta globulins bind cholesterol, iron, vitamins, transport steroid hormones, phospholipids, sterols, zinc and iron cations.
Gamma globulins bind histamine and participate in immunological reactions, which is why they are called antibodies, or immunoglobulins. There are five classes of immunoglobulins: IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD, IgE. Produced in the spleen, liver, lymph nodes, and bone marrow. They differ from each other in biological properties and structure. They have different abilities to bind antigens, activate immune proteins, have different avidity (rate of binding to antigen and strength) and ability to pass through the placenta. Approximately 80% of all immunoglobulins are IgG, which have high avidity and are the only ones that can cross the placenta. IgM is synthesized first in the fetus. They are also the first to appear in the blood serum after most vaccinations. They have high avidity.
Blood composition
Fibrinogen is a soluble protein that is produced in the liver. Under the influence of thrombin, it is converted into insoluble fibrin, due to which a blood clot is formed at the site of vessel damage.
Platelets
It is very difficult for a person to tolerate massive blood loss. However, our body has a mechanism that protects it from blood loss, and platelets play a major role in this mechanism.
Platelets are colorless, irregularly shaped bodies that circulate in the blood. They have the ability to form clots (thrombi) that stop bleeding.
If bleeding begins, platelets gather at the wound and try to block the bleeding. Calcium, vitamin K and the protein fibrinogen help platelets form a clot to close a bleeding vessel. As the curd dries, it hardens, forming the well-known “crust”.
Non-protein components
In addition, blood plasma includes non-protein substances:
- organic nitrogen-containing: amino acid nitrogen, urea nitrogen, low molecular weight peptides, creatine, creatinine, indican. Bilirubin;
- organic nitrogen-free: carbohydrates, lipids, glucose, lactate, cholesterol, ketones, pyruvic acid, minerals;
- inorganic: sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium cations, chlorine anions, iodine.
The ions in the plasma regulate the pH balance and maintain the normal state of cells.
Plasma functions
Blood plasma performs many functions, including:
- transportation of blood cells, nutrients, metabolic products;
- binding of liquid media located outside the circulatory system;
- making contact with body tissues through extravascular fluids, thereby achieving hemostasis.
Donor plasma saves many lives
Use of donor plasma
In our time, transfusions often require not whole blood, but its components and plasma. Therefore, blood transfusion centers often donate blood for plasma. It is obtained from whole blood by centrifugation, that is, the liquid part is separated from the formed elements using a machine, after which the blood cells are returned to the donor. The procedure lasts about 40 minutes. The difference from donating whole blood is that blood loss is much less, and you can donate plasma again after two weeks, but no more than 12 times during the year.
Blood serum is obtained from plasma, which is used for medicinal purposes. It differs from plasma in that it does not contain fibrinogen, but contains all the antibodies that can resist pathogens. To obtain it, place sterile blood in a thermostat for an hour. Then the resulting clot is peeled off from the wall of the test tube and kept in the refrigerator for a day. After this, using a Pasteur pipette, the settled whey is poured into a sterile container.
Blood structure
What is blood? This is tissue that consists of plasma and special blood cells contained in it in the form of a suspension. Plasma is a clear, yellowish liquid that makes up more than half of the total blood volume. More information about the composition and functions of plasma can be found here. It contains three main types of shaped elements:
- erythrocytes are red cells that give the blood a red color due to the hemoglobin they contain;
- leukocytes – white cells;
- platelets are blood platelets.
Arterial blood, which comes from the lungs to the heart and then spreads to all organs, is enriched with oxygen and has a bright scarlet color. After the blood gives oxygen to the tissues, it returns through the veins to the heart. Deprived of oxygen, it becomes darker.
About 4 to 5 liters of blood circulate in the circulatory system of an adult. Approximately 55% of the volume is occupied by plasma, the rest is formed elements, with the majority being erythrocytes - more than 90%.
Blood is a viscous substance. Viscosity depends on the amount of proteins and red blood cells contained in it. This quality affects blood pressure and movement speed. The density of blood and the nature of the movement of formed elements determine its fluidity. Blood cells move differently. They can move in groups or alone. Red blood cells can move either individually or in whole “stacks,” just as stacked coins tend to create a flow in the center of the vessel. White cells move singly and usually stay near the walls.
