25. The properties of blood
25. The properties of blood
- Gillian Pocock, Gillian PocockSenior Lecturer in Clinical Science, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, UK
- Christopher D. RichardsChristopher D. RichardsEmeritus Professor of Experimental Physiology, Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Life Sciences, University College London, London, UK
- and David A. RichardsDavid A. RichardsAssociate Professor, Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Husson University School of Pharmacy, Bangor, Maine, USA
Abstract
This chapter describes blood as a vital vehicle of communication between the tissues of multicellular organisms. It covers the numerous functions of the blood, such as carrying oxygen from the lungs to the other body tissues and carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs. Blood consists of a fluid called plasma in which are suspended the red cells or erythrocytes, white cells or leukocytes, and platelets or thrombocytes. The chapter demonstrates the nature of the suspension by centrifuging a sample of whole blood in a test-tube at ≈2000 × g for 5–10 minutes. After such treatment, the heavier red cells are packed at the bottom of the tube while the plasma is seen above them as a clear pale-yellow fluid.
