1.25. Components of Blood http://www.ck12.org
FIGURE 1.47
A platelet lies between a red blood cell,
at left, and a white blood cell at right.
Platelets are little pieces of larger cells
that are found in the bone marrow.Vocabulary
- hemoglobin: Protein in red blood cells that binds oxygen.
- pathogen: Living thing or virus that causes disease.
- plasma: Fluid part of blood that contains many dissolved substances.
- platelet: Cell fragment in blood that helps blood clot.
- red blood cell: Type of cell in blood that carries oxygen.
- white blood cell: Type of cell in blood that defends the body against infection.
Summary
- Plasma, the fluid part of the blood, is mostly made up of water but also contains dissolved proteins, glucose,
ions, hormones, and gases. - Red blood cells carry oxygen, while white blood cells defend the body against infection by bacteria, viruses,
and other diseases.
Practice
Use the resource below to answer the questions that follow.
- The Components of Bloodat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5qmKirdiic (2:01)
MEDIA
Click image to the left for more content.- What is another name for red blood cells? What is the function of red blood cells?
- Why are red blood cells red?