SLE221 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Buffy Coat, Blood Proteins, Cell Membrane

• School: Deakin University
• Department: Science, Engineering and Built Environment
• Course: SLE221
• Professor: Jan West

Document Summary

Blood makes up one quarter of the extracellular fluid. In an average 70kg man total blood volume 8% of total blody weight, made up of 2 litres blood cells and 3 litres of plasma. Blood cells: erythrocytes (rbc): important in o2 transport. Leukocytes (wbc): immune systems mobile defence units: platelets: cell fragments important in haemostasis. Blood composition: plasma: 55% of whole blood. 6-8% proteins and remainder is dissolved organic molecules, ions, trace elements and vitamins and dissolved gasses. Composition identical to interstitial fluid except for the presence of plasma proteins: plasma proteins: mostly synthesised in the liver. <1% of whole blood: erythrocytes: 45% of whole blood, haematocrit: 36% of the whole blood volume. Biconcave disc structure promotes o2 transport in blood. Larger surface area for diffusion of o2 across the membrane. Thinness of cell enables o2 to diffuse rapidly between the exterior and innermost regions of the cell.