Introduction
You might be thinking, what are some constituents of blood?
Primarily, there are four constituents of blood– The RBCs, The WBCs, platelets, and plasma.
RBCs (or Red Blood Cells) are responsible for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to other organs, and the transport of carbon dioxide from the organs to the lungs. Blood is mostly made up of Red Blood Cells and gives blood its characteristic red color. These cells are unique as they do not contain a lot of components present in a normal cell, like the nucleus.
WBCs (or White Blood Cells) are responsible for protecting our body from foreign particles. They protect the body from being infected. There are different types of WBCs for different types of threats. Some help removes foreign particles that accidentally get into the bloodstream, and some are there to get rid of different bacteria or viruses that can cause diseases.
Platelets are responsible for damage repair. Whenever there is any tissue damage, platelets concentrate in that spot and form a protective covering known as a blood clot that forms a protective covering on the wound to prevent any blood loss.
Plasma is the liquid part of the blood, in which all the other parts- the RBCs, the WBCs, the platelets- are suspended. It is made up of different chemicals and nutrients.
Red Blood Cells
Red Blood Cells are the main means of transport when it comes to oxygen. Our body needs oxygen to perform respiration, which is the process by which the food we eat is turned into energy. This process releases carbon dioxide, which is again transported through RBCs. RBCs contain a compound called Hemoglobin, which binds with the oxygen from our lungs and transports it to organs. Hemoglobin also binds with the carbon dioxide and transports it back to the lungs, where it is exhaled.
RBCs make the maximum part of the blood. The number of RBCs in a drop of blood ranges from around 4 to 6 million. RBCs are mostly made inside the bone marrow and the body produces about 2 million of these every second. Since RBCs do not have a nucleus, they only live for about 120 days.
White Blood Cells
White Blood Cells are responsible for protecting the body from infection. Whenever any foreign particles are detected in the bloodstream, the WBCs gather in that place and try to eliminate the threat. There are different types of WBCs for different foreign particles. The most common WBC is the neutrophil, which forms about 55 to 70 percent of the total WBCs in the body. It is responsible for neutralizing any foreign particles which have accidentally entered your bloodstream. Neutrophils are also made in the bone marrow and live for less than a day, which means that the body has to continuously make new neutrophils.
The other important WBC is the lymphocyte, which is again divided into two types. The T lymphocytes help in regulating the workings of the other WBCs and eliminate any infected cells or tumors by directly attacking them. The B lymphocytes make antibodies, which are various chemicals that can eliminate bacteria, viruses, and other harmful materials. This function makes them one of the more important constituents of blood.
Platelets
Platelets are the constituents of blood that help in repairing any damage done to the body. Whenever any place in the body gets wounded, platelets in large numbers concentrate in that spot. Then the platelets, along with other major constituents of blood, take part in a series of complicated chemical reactions, the process which is altogether known as the coagulation of blood. When blood coagulates it forms a blood clot, which forms a hard covering over the damaged part to prevent any blood loss.
Plasma
Plasma is the liquid constituent of blood. It is mostly water that is absorbed into the bloodstream from digested food, and some proteins, fats, and salts. Plasma forms the main suspension for the blood cells and the platelets, which helps in transporting them easily. Plasma also contains certain chemicals that react with the platelets to coagulate blood.
Conclusion
Thus we learn about all the different constituents of blood, what their functions are, and what their part is in each of the bodily functions. Blood is one of the most important parts of our body as it helps in running almost everything smoothly, without blood our body system is incomplete. It is amazing to think that just a mixture of cells and liquids can have so much utility and be such an important component in maintaining and circulating our life cycle.