Blood Physiology

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Introduction

Blood is a fluid connective tissue critical for:

• Transportation of nutrients, gases, and wastes throughout the body;
• Defence for the body against infection and other threats
• Homeostatic regulation of pH, temperature, and other internal conditions.

Blood is composed of:

1. Formed elements—erythrocytes, leukocytes, and cell fragments called platelets
2. Fluid extracellular matrix called plasma. More than 90 percent of plasma is water, the remainder is mostly plasma proteins (mainly albumin, globulins, and fibrinogen) and other dissolved solutes such as glucose, lipids, electrolytes, and dissolved gases.

Because of the formed elements and the plasma proteins and other solutes, blood is sticky and more viscous than water. It is also slightly alkaline, and its temperature is slightly higher than normal body temperature.

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