1. Probably more than you think.
What’s in BLOOD?
Probably more than you think.

2. We have a little over 5 liters (6 quarts) of blood coursing through our entire body - non-stop. In many parts of our body it is under high pressure. BLOOD = mostly??????

3. WATER The liquid portion of blood is called PLASMA
It makes up 55% of the volume of blood
92% of Plasma = water
The remaining amount = dissolved substances

4. Dissolved Substances Nutrients, such as glucose and amino acids
Waste products
Hormones = chemical messengers
Dissolved ions, (dissociated from salts)
Including sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium

5. Dissolved Substances (still)
Proteins
Antibodies
Clotting factors (fibrin)
Albumins & Globulins – Transport assist molecules

6. Formed Elements Erythrocytes Leukocytes Thrombocytes Red blood cells
White blood cells
Thrombocytes
platelets

7. RBC’s Carry respiratory gasses – O2 & CO2
Account for 99% of all blood cells
1/3 of all cells in the human body = RBC
Each adult has between 60 and 75 trillion

8. RBC’s (continued) Disc-like (donut like) shape Enucleate
Packed with the oxygen carrying molecule hemoglobin which contains a good deal of Iron
Contain the surface proteins that determine blood type

9. WBC’s Roughly one WBC for every 700 RBC Larger than RBC
Fight off disease and foreign invaders
Many different types performing a variety of different roles in the immune response

10. WBC’s (continued)
Produce antibodies (which is forensically important because they are the other half of the blood typing issue)
The part of blood – DNA source for DNA profiling
First case of DNA evidence used in forensics in 1982 came from white blood cells

11. PLATELETS
Platelets + proteins (termed clotting factors) = leak control
Not really cells, but cell fragments
Smaller and much less numerous than RBCs