Blood Components

Normally, 7-8% of human body weight is from blood.

In adults, this amounts to 4.5-6 liters of blood.

This essential fluid carries out the critical functions of transporting oxygen and nutrients to our cells and getting rid of carbon dioxide, ammonia, and other waste products.

In addition, it plays a vital role in our immune system and in maintaining a relatively constant body temperature.

Blood is a highly specialized tissue composed of more than 4,000 different kinds of components. 

Four of the most important ones are Red cells, White cells, Platelets, and Plasma. 

All humans produce these blood components--there are no populational or regional differences.

Red Blood Cells

also called erythrocytes or RBCs, Known for their bright red color, red cells are the most abundant cell in the blood, accounting for about 40 to 45 percent of its volume. 

The shape of a red blood cell is a biconcave disk with a flattened center - in other words, both faces of the disc have shallow bowl-like indentations

White Blood Cells

also called leukocytes, White blood cells protect the body from infection. They are much fewer in number than red blood cells, accounting for about 1 percent of your blood.

The most common type of white blood cell is the neutrophil, which is the "immediate response" cell and accounts for 55 to 70 percent of the total white blood cell count

Plasma

The liquid component of blood is called plasma, a mixture of water, sugar, fat, protein, and salts. The main job of the plasma is to transport blood cells throughout your body along with nutrients, waste products, antibodies, clotting proteins, chemical messengers such as hormones, and proteins that help maintain the body's fluid balance.

Platelets

Unlike red and white blood cells, platelets are not actually cells but rather small fragments of cells. Platelets help the blood clotting process (or coagulation) by gathering at the site of an injury, sticking to the lining of the injured blood vessel, and forming a platform on which blood coagulation can occur.