THE BLOOD

Components:
1- Blood cells:
They form about 45% of the blood volume.
The Blood cells are:
a- Red cells (erythrocytes).
b- White cells (leukocytes).
c- Blood platelets (thrombocytes).
2- Plasma: it forms 55% of the blood volume.
Plasma contains:
1. Electrolytes and ions as calcium and sodium
2. Plasma proteins as albumins, globulins, and fibrinogen
3. Nutrients as amino acids, lipids, vitamins
4. Hormones

RED BLOOD CORPUSCLES (RBCS)

(Erythrocytes)
A- Shape of RBCs:
They are biconcave disc shape.
In slow blood stream and in blood film they adhere together forming
Rouleaux due to high surface tension.
Abnormal shapes:
1. Spherocytosis: spherical or biconvex.
2. Sickle shape: in sickle cell anemia.
3. Pear-shaped: Poikilocytes.
4. Crenation: shrinkage and notching of RBC when exposed to hypertonic
solution.
5. Swelling: when exposed to hypotonic solution (marked hypotonic solution
may cause rupture of the cell membrane and hemolysis.

B- Size:
Normal diameter: 6-9 m (average 7.5 m).

 Abnormal size:
1. Macrocytic anemia: diameter > 9 m.
2. Microcytic anemia: diameter < 6 m.
3. Anisocytosis: variable diameters.

C- Colour:
Fresh, single RBC is greenish yellow due to minimal HB.
A drop of blood appears red as it contains large number of RBCs.
In stained sections, RBCs with normal HB appear acidophilic with pale center
(normochromic).
RBCs with less HB% pale (hypochromic).
RBCs with more HB% deeply stained periphery with stained center
(hyperchromic).

D- Number:
In males: 5 - 5.5 million / mm3.
In females: 4.5 - 5 million / mm3 (due to loss of blood during menstruation
and depression of bone marrow by female sex hormones).
Abnormal number:
1- Anemia:
Decease in number is caused by:
a- Deficiency of iron, vit.B12, proteins or copper.
b- Defect in bone marrow aplastic anemia.
c- Hemorrhage hemorrhagic anemia.
d- Hemolysis hemolytic anemia.
Causes of hemolysis are:
Incompatible blood transfusion.
Snake venom.

2- Polycythemia (increase in number):

a- Hemoconcentration:
The actual number of RBCs does not increase but the volume of
plasma is reduced.
Occurs in cases of dehydration due to vomiting, diarrhea.

b- Compensatory polycythemia:
There is actual increase in production of RBCs from bone marrow.
Occurs as compensatory to hypoxia as in:- The foetus due to intrauterine anoxia.
- High attitude in low O2.

E- Structure of RBCs:
They are non-nucleated cells (now called corpuscles).
They have no organoids but filled with HB.
They are surrounded by cell membrane, which is plastic and has selective
permeability.
Adaptation of RBCs to its function:
1. Its biconcave shape increases surface area for more gas exchange.
2. Absence of nuclei and cell organoids allows more space to HB for gas
exchange.
3. Selective permeability of the cell membrane allows easy exchange of
oxygen and CO2 but not HB.
4. Plastic cell membrane allows RBCs to be squeezed in narrow vessels, then
regain its normal shape in wide vessels thus prevent their rupture.

WHITE BLOOD CELLS (WBCS)

(Leucocytes)
Definition:
They are true nucleated cells having cell organoids, cell inclusions, but no
hemoglobin.

Color:
Single WBC is colorless (leucocyte) but when aggregated, they appear white
(WBCs).

Number: 4000-11000/mm3.
Total Leucocyte count:
It is the total number of leucocytes in 1 mm3.
Differential leucocyte count:
It is the percentage of each type of leucocytes in the blood.

Classification of leucocytes:
1-Granular:
a- Neutrophils.
b- Eosinophils.
c- Basophils

2- Non-granular:
a- Lymphocytes.
b- Monocytes.

Granular leucocytes
Neutrophils
Percentage: 60-75% of total leucocytes.
L/M:
Shape: spherical
Nucleus:
- Single, dark stained and segmented (2-5
segments connected by fine chromatin threads.
Cytoplasm:
1. Specific granules:
- Contain bacteriostatic
substances.
2. Nonspecific granules:

and

bactericidal

- Contain hydrolytic enzymes (lysosomes).

Function:
1. Defense against microorganisms:
When microorganism invades the surrounding tissue, the neutrophils
migrate from the capillaries and phagocytose it (so called microphages).
2. They also secrete proteolytic enzymes.
3. They attract monocytes to the infected area.
4. Healing of wounds.

Eosinophils
Percentage: 2- 5% of total leucocytes.
L/M:
Nucleus: Bilobed horse shoe-shaped.
Cytoplasm: shows acidophilic granules which
contain histaminase and sulphatase enzymes.

Function: In allergic conditions, eosinophils move to the

site of allergy to perform anti-allergic action through:
1. They can phagocytose the antigen-antibody complex.
2. They secrete histaminase and sulphatase enzymes which destroy histamine
and sulphate substances of allergy.

Basophils
Percentage: 0.5 - 1% of total leucocytes.
L/M:

Nucleus: Large and irregular.

Cytoplasm: Filled with large basophilic

granules containing histamine and heparin.

Function:1. They produce heparin and histamine during allergy.

2. They have minimal phagocytic activity.

Non granular leucocytes

1-Lymphocytes
Percentage: 25-30%.
Total Lymphocyte count: 1500-3000 / mm3

Classification:
1. Small-sized lymphocytes
2. Medium-sized lymphocytes
3. Large-sized lymphocytes

Large or medium-sized lymphocytes

Percentage: 5-10%.
L/M:
Size:
- Medium-sized lymphocytes: 7-10 m.
- Large lymphocytes
: 10-15 m.
Nucleus:

Indented.

Cytoplasm:

Abundant

Small Lymphocytes
Percentage: 15-20%.
L/M:
Size: 4-7 m.
Nucleus:

Round.

Cytoplasm:

Thin rim around the nucleus

Types:1. B. cells.
- Develop in the bone marrow and is responsible of humoral
immunity.
2. T. cells.
- Develop in the thymus and is responsible of cell mediated
immunity.

2- Monocytes
Percentage: 3-8%.
L/M:
Nucleus: Kidney shaped.
Cytoplasm: Abundant

Function:
Monocytes can penetrate through capillaries and
venules to reach the C.T. where they can be
transformed into macrophages.

PLATELETS
(Thrombocytes)
Definition:
They are fragments of cytoplasm covered with membrane but have no nucleus
(not true cells).

Origin: megakaryocytes
L/M:
Shape: oval or rounded discs.
Number:

150.000 - 400.000 / mm3.

Appear as oval or rounded non nucleated discs.

Their outer part appears transparent and pale blue (called hyalomere).
Their central part contains dark stained granules (called granulomere).

Functions:
Stop bleeding (hemostasis) through:
1. Secretion of serotonin vasoconstriction decrease blood loss.
2. The platelets adhere to the inner wall of the injured blood vessels forming
platelet aggregation or white thrombus.
3. Then, they secrete thromboblastin change prothrombin into thrombin
change fibrinogen into fibrin network attract RBCs to form red
thrombus (coagulation) which close blood vessels and stop bleeding.