Blood

Medical specialty: Haematology

Components

Plasma

• Water
• Electrolytes
• Gases
• Nutrients
• Waste products
• Proteins (mainly albumin)
• Coagulation factors
• (Immune system) Complement factors 
• (Immune system) Antibodies
• Fatty acids

Cells

• Erythrocytes (red cells) 
• Contain: Haemoglobin
• Platelets
• Leukocytes (white cells) 
• Granulocytes
• Monocytes-macrophages
• Lymphocytes
• T-lymphocytes
• B-lymphocytes
• Plasma cells
• Dendritic cells

 

Functions

• Transport of oxygen
• Transport of carbon dioxide
• Transport of water and electrolytes
• Transport of nutrients
• Removal of waste from tissues and organs
• Coagulation
• Immune functions
• Involved in osmolality regulation
• Involved in pH regulation 
• Involved in blood pressure regulation