Dear Readers,
General Knowledge is an important component for most competitive exams, namely the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding the concepts/terms that are significant in our daily lives is critical for aspirants. To make your preparation easier and to help you score better, we at PaGaLGuY bring you brief articles on trending phenomena and concepts.
After covering structure and working of the human heart, in this article we will understand the composition of blood.
Blood and its components
Red Blood Cells White Blood Cells
- Blood is a bodily fluid as well as a connective tissue that flows throughout the body through the blood vessels (arteries and veins).
- It carries out various important functions like transportation and regulation of substances like nutrients, electrolytes, hormones, water, oxygen, carbon dioxide and waste products, throughout the body.
- It also provides protection from infectious agents and plays critical role in thermoregulation (maintaining the temperature of human body at 37°C) and regulating acidity levels (pH).
- Blood contains solid and liquid components. Liquid component is a pale yellowish fluid called plasma. It forms 55% of blood’s total volume, majorly contains water (up to 92%) and substances like proteins, antibodies, electrolytes, hormones and other exogenous substances.
- The solid components are Red Blood Cells (RBCs), White Blood Cells (WBCs) and blood platelets.
- RBCs are also known as erythrocytes. They are disc shaped, thick at the edges and flat in the centre. It is the most abundant cell in blood and contains haemoglobin.
- Haemoglobin is a mixture of protein and iron. It is responsible for carrying oxygen from lungs to the entire body. The life span of an RBC is 120 days.
- WBCs are also known as leucocytes. They play an important part in the immune system. Lymphocytes and granulocytes are types of WBCs that protect and fight against infections and antigens. The life span of a WBC is 3 to 4 days.
- Platelets are also known as thrombocytes and are responsible for creating blood clot during an injury. On exposure to air, platelets release fibrinogen that initiates a chain of reactions resulting in clot formation. The life span of a platelet is about 10 days.
For information regarding diseases of circulatory system (heart), refer to the link below:
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