Blood is essential to life. Blood
circulates through our body and delivers essential substances like oxygen and
nutrients to the body’s cells. It also transports metabolic waste products away
from those same cells. There is no substitute for blood. It cannot be made
or manufactured. Generous blood donors are the only source of blood for
patients in need of a blood transfusion.
Blood
Components
There are four basic components that
comprise human blood: plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Red Blood Cells
Red blood cells represent 40%-45% of
your blood volume. They are generated from your bone marrow at a rate of four
to five billion per hour. They have a lifecycle of about 120 days in the body.
Platelets
Platelets are an amazing part of
your blood. Platelets are the smallest of our blood cells and literally look like
small plates in their non-active form. Platelets control bleeding. Wherever a
wound occurs, the blood vessel will send out a signal. Platelets receive that
signal and travel to the area and transform into their “active” formation,
growing long tentacles to make contact with the vessel and form clusters to
plug the wound until it heals.
Plasma
Plasma is the liquid portion of your
blood. Plasma is yellowish in color and is made up mostly of water, but it also
contains proteins, sugars, hormones and salts. It transports water and
nutrients to your body’s tissues.
White Blood Cells
Although white blood cells
(leukocytes) only account for about 1% of your blood, they are very important.
White blood cells are essential for good health and protection against illness
and disease. Like red blood cells, they are constantly being generated from
your bone marrow. They flow through the bloodstream and attack foreign bodies,
like viruses and bacteria. They can even leave the bloodstream to extend the
fight into tissue.