The functions of blood are:

(a) to transport oxygen and digested food(nutrients) to cells.

(b) to transport waste products like urea and carbon dioxide from body tissues to excretory
organs.
(c) to maintain body temperature at 37 degree celcius by spreading heat to all parts of the
body. [Type a quote from the document or the summary of an interesting point.
You can position the text box anywhere in the document. Use the Text Box Tools
tab to change the formatting of the pull quote text box.]

(d) to carry hormones to body tissues to regulate body processes

Compare and function of blood

Red Blood Cells

(a)The main function of the red blood cell is to transport oxygen from the lungs, to the other
tissues and cells of the body. At the lungs, haemoglobin molecules bind themselves to the
oxygen molecules and move to the heart. From the heart, the same oxygen-containing blood
is pumped to the rest of the body parts (muscles, tissues and other organs).
(b)The other function of red blood cells is to carry carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide is then
excreted through the blood plasma and the red blood cells.The red blood cells play a major
role in eliminating carbon dioxide from the cells.
(c)Red blood cells have a biconcave shape and do not have a nucleus.
(d)Red blood cells contain haemoglobin which combines with oxygen to form
oxyhaemoglobin.Oxyhaemoglobin releases oxygen when it reaches body cells.
(e)Red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow.
PAGE 1

White Blood Cells(leukocytes)

(a)White blood cells are larger in size and do not have irregular shape.
(b) can live for 3 to 4 days on an average.
(c) White blood cells circulate between the cardiovascular and lymphatic system and
leukocytes mature in the lymph nodes.When a part of the body is infected, leukocytes will
escape from the blood vessels and move to the site of infection.
(d)The function of the white blood cell is to protect the body from foreign materials and
infectious agents. They defend the body against various types of infections by producing
antibodies.
(e) a consistently high level of white blood cells can be an indicator of leukemia, a type of
cancer.

Plasma

(a) Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood. This slightly yellow fluid is made up of 90
percent of water.
(b) Plasma transport nutrients throughout the body.

PAGE 2

(c) the plasma transports waste products, such as uric acid from the cells of the body to the
kidneys. The kidneys filter these wastes out of the plasma and excrete them from the body as
urine.
(d) Plasma also carries other proteins besides albumin throughout the body.
Immunoglobulins, also known as antibodies, are proteins that fight off foreign substances,
such as bacteria, that invade the body.

Platelets

(a) Platelets are only about 20% of the diameter of red blood cells, which is the most
numerous cell of the blood.
(b) Platelets are produced by a very large bone marrow cells called megakaryocytes.
(c) Platelets contain many structures that are critical to stop bleeding. They contain proteins
on their surface that allow them to stick to the blood vessel wall and also help to stick to each
other.
(d)The function of the platelets is to clot blood in a wound to prevent the loss of an excessive
amount of blood.
(e)The lifespan of platelets are very short,ie from a few hours to nine days.

PAGE 3

Blood groups

(a)Blood is classified into four groups, which is A,B,AB and O.

(b)- blood group A has A antigens on the red blood cells with anti-B antibodies
plasma

in the

- blood group B has B antigens with anti-A antibodies in the plasma

-blood group O has no antigens but both anti-A and anti-B antibodies in the plasma
-blood group AB has both A and B antigens but no antibodies
The following table is the types of blood groups and is its percentage of blood types in the
world's population.

Blood Type
A+
AB+
BAB+
ABO+
O-

Percentage of people(%)
34
68
13
1
3
1
40
7

PAGE 4

Blood Group Donor and Recepient

(a)A person who donates his blood to another is called a blood donor while the person who
receives blood from another is called a recipient.
(b) The blood type (or the group) that a person belongs to, is determined by the red blood
cells of the body. Antigens are tiny markers that are present on the surface of these red blood
cells, and these antigens are unique for every individual. These antigens help medical
professionals determine a person's blood group and during blood transfusions, these antigens
need to be matched correctly. Failure to do so, can result in a lot of complications during the
blood transfusion process.In serious condition,the recipient will die.

(c)People with blood group O can donate blood to people having blood groups O,A,B and
AB.Because of this ,people with blood group O are called universal donors.
(d) People with blood group AB can recieve blood from people with blood groups O,A,B and
AB.Thus,people with blood groups AB are called universal recipients.
PAGE 5

Imortance of donating blood

(a) Donating blood saves peoples lives from car accident and other tragedies
(b) The blood supply needs constant replenishment.
(c) There is no substitute for human blood.
(d) Advances in life-saving technique which require blood.
-Blood donation is safe and painless

PAGE 6

Handling and storage of blood

(a)Each blood donor must be tested beforehand to know his or her blood group.He or she
must be examined by a doctor to ensure that his or her body is healthy enough for blood
donation.
(b)Before blood is transfused into a patient,it must be tested to ensure that it is free from
diseases like hepatitis B and C,HIV and veneral diseases like syphilis.
(c)Blood and blood products are stored in labeled designated blood banks.
(d)Blood bags are store in an orderly fashion to allow air circulation.

PAGE 7