1. Blood is crucial for transportation of nutrients and gases from an external environment to cells, plus, transporting wastes from cells to be excreted from the body
By Kirsten Cluett

2. Composition of Blood
If a mammal’s blood was sampled and spun in a centrifuge…
The blood would split into cellular matter and plasma
Plasma making up 55% by volume
Cell fraction making up 45% - Consisting of red and white blood cells and platelets

3. Components - Plasma Sticky, off-white slightly salty liquid
(Suspends) Red and White Blood cells and platelets
Transports nutrients, and other substances e.g. Carbon Dioxide waste
Contain substances that stabilise pH and osmotic pressure
Substances in plasma clot blood when needed act in immune response

4. Components – Cellular Matter
RED BLOOD CELL: (erythrocytes)
Biconcave, disc-shaped
In humans have no nuclei
Remain in the blood for 3 months
Contain haemoglobin (oxy-haemoglobin transporting oxygen) and other respiratory gases are transported
1mL = 5-6 million in blood
WHITE BLOOD CELL: (leucocytes)
Contain a nucleus
Larger than red blood cells
Phagocytes – collects at areas of infection, ingesting foreign bodies. Lymphocytes – act against foreign material, and make antibodies to fight against disease
Important in immune response
1mL = in blood
PLATELETS:
Makes up a tiny <0.01% part in one blood part
Helps the blood to clot
Aids in inflammation

5. Blood Composition - Centrifuged

6. Donated Blood Usually 450 mL given each donation
Donors are screened and regulated
Checked to prevent antibodies in donation do not react with patient’s red cell antigens
Packaged into products:
Whole blood
Packaged red blood cells
Plasma
Platelet concentrate
Cryopreciptated AHF
Plasma fractions

7. Donated Blood
Extracted Parts Various components of blood can be separated from whole blood to help a patient’s specific needs
Red Blood Cells: Increase oxygen carried to body’s tissues. Given to people with… anaemia, blood loss patients and patients with bone marrow red blood cell deficiency
Platelets: Are essential for blood clotting For cancer of the blood, Leukaemia (Cancer patients often don’t make enough blood platelets)
Plasma: Blood-clotting factors, adjusts osmotic pressure of blood For people with clotting disorders like Haemophilia. Adjusts osmotic pressure of blood
Immunoglobins: Antibodies. Infection-fighting part of blood plasma For people with difficulty fighting infections and immune system malfunction e.g. AIDS.
Clotting factors 8 and 11
Granulocytes

8. How are These Parts Separated?
Packaged red blood cells:
Extracted from whole blood by removing liquid plasma.
The blood is centrifuged and red blood cells will fall the bottom, the heaviest particle
Suitable for sufferers of kidney failure and chronic anaemia
Cryoprecipitated AHF:
To be removed from plasma, it is frozen then thawed
Controls or prevents bleeding – suitable for people with haemophilia

9. Continued.
Blood processing allows blood parts to be separated from each other. There are different methods to achieve this
A hematocrit tube holds blood and is placed in a centrifuge - causing components to split and red blood cells falling to the bottom of the tube
Blood component therapy allows an extracted component of the blood (e.g. plasma) to be given to a patient by method of blood transfusion (here the same blood type must be donated)
Blood component therapy allows specific blood components to be brought together for a patient’s needs

10. Uses of Extracted Parts of Blood
Red blood cells
Majority to people with cancer
Traumatic accidents (with dramatic blood loss)
Burns victims or surgery patients
Plasma
Trauma, burns and blood disease
Makes up 17 life-saving products
Platelets
People with low platelet count
Bleeding or risk of bleeding patients with non-functioning platelets
Cancer patients (chemotherapy)
Bone marrow transplant
Liver disease
Major trauma
Surgery patients

11. Red Cross Blood Service

12. Used when a patient suffers large volumes of blood loss
Carry oxygen and carbon dioxide
Do not clot blood or involved in immune defence
Substitute for plasma to maintain blood pressure (but do not supply oxygen to tissues)
Two types of oxygen carriers: haemoglobin-based and Perfluerochemicals
Artificial blood fluids:
Normal saline (same concentration as blood 0.9%)
Dextrose 4% in a 0.18% saline solution
Artificial Blood

13. Need for Artificial Blood
Advantageous: Free of infectious agents, non-toxic and disease free which is important in countries where blood transfusions contain diseases e.g. Nigeria has AIDS spreading in blood transfusions
Universal acceptance
Stored at room temperature
Available in large supplies
PFC-based artificial blood can be used temporarily during open heart surgery – minimises blood loss during operation
Transfusion without any tests required (blood type does not need to be matched and antigens will not interfere)
Can be kept for long periods of time (2-3 years) compared to human blood’s 3 weeks
Rapid treatment in trauma patients
Oxygen carrying blood substitutes can be used for religious/cultural objectors of blood transfusions
Currently cost-effective
Useful in surgery, trauma and oxygenation of tumours during chemotherapy

14. Bibliography
Hill, J. and Alford, D. (2004). Excel HSC Biology. New South Wales: Pascal Press
Humphreys, K. (2004). Surfing. New South Wales: Science Press
Mudie, K. and brotherton, J. (2004). Heinemann Biology. Victoria: Reed International Books Australia Pty Ltd
‘How donated blood is used’ (24 Nov 2012)