Studying Blood Composition

It's a well-known fact that a human being has an average 5 liters of blood in his body. Human
blood is composed of two parts, viz, fluid and cellular. The fluid part is known as blood plasma
that makes 55% of total blood volume and the rest comprises the cellular components or the
formed elements.
When a blood sample is centrifuged, it gets separated into different layers, based on their density.
Three complete layers are visible after centrifugation. The bottom layer is red in color due to
presence of Red Blood Cells (RBCs). A white band is formed in the middle layer, which is also
known as buffy coat and it's made up of White Blood Cells (WBCs) and platelets. The third or
the topmost layer is a straw colored liquid containing the blood plasma. The cells present in the
blood are also known as formed elements.
Composition of Formed Elements
Red Blood Cells
RBCs are also known as red blood corpuscles or erythrocytes. They constitute 45% of blood by
volume. They contain hemoglobin, that renders blood red in color. RBCs are produced in the
bone marrow and they have a life cycle of 100-120 days. Mature RBCs are biconcave and
flexible, lacking cell nucleus and organelles. The principle function is to deliver oxygen to
different tissues of the body.
White Blood Cells
WBCs or white blood corpuscles are known as leukocytes. They make for 1% by volume of total
blood. Leukocytes are cells of the immune system that provide protection to the body from
foreign particles and infectious diseases. They are derived from hematopoietic stem cells.
Leukocytes are classified as granulocytes and agranulocytes. Granulocytes cells include
neutrophils, basophils and eosinophils, whereas agranulocytes cells are lymphocytes, monocytes
and macrophages. The count of leukocytes in blood is an important factor for normal functioning
of body.
Platelets
Platelets are also known as thrombocytes. They are derived from precursor cells known as
megakaryocytes and are devoid of nucleus. The lifespan of platelets is 5-9 days. The most
important function of platelets is blood coagulation or blood clotting. If the count of platelets in
blood is low, they cause excessive bleeding while the effect is just reverse if the count is more
than normal. They are also a source of natural growth factors.
Composition of Blood Plasma
Blood Plasma is the straw colored liquid portion of the blood. 92% is composed of water and the
rest 8% is made up of plasma proteins. It is mostly composed of dissolved proteins, mineral ions,
glucose, clotting factors and carbon dioxide. It circulates dissolved nutrients (amino acids, fatty
acids and glucose) and removes waste products (carbon dioxide, lactic acid and urea) from the
body. Other components of blood plasma are serum albumin, lipoprotein particles,

immunoglobulins, electrolytes, etc.

Let's go through some of the most important functions of blood before going into the details of
its composition.
Functions of Blood
Blood performs a wide range of functions in human body. We list them down over here:

Supplies oxygen and nutrients to different tissues of our body.

Removes waste products like, urea, lactic acid and carbon dioxide from our body.

Provides immunity to body against foreign particles.

Helps in transportation of hormones throughout the body.

Aids in blood clotting which is a natural repair mechanism of cells.

Regulates and maintains normal temperature in our body.

Maintains pH balance inside the body.

The components of blood help in homeostasis.

The pH of blood lies in the range of 7.35 to 7.45, which is necessary for its normal functioning. I
hope the information provided in this article has proven useful to you.