Writing takes time. And time is a precious thing. What happens when one wishes to write but finds no time to do so? I don't know either. Maybe one day I will. Regardless, I found some time! And I'm so happy to be here.
I was trying to decide what to write about. First of all, I thought I would discourse on blood because I just got done learning about it in my studies and found it to be such a fascinating thing. (I also just assumed the general public would all be interested too.) But then I decided I would share some thoughts I've been rolling around in my head after a very inspirational message at church the other Sunday. Eventually, I decided to go back to my original idea and talk about that substance that keeps us alive.
I feel the need to explain something about myself right off the bat. (Maybe I'm just trying to be defensive and explain why I've found such a fascination with blood lately so hopefully you still think I'm normal.) I am a very curious person by nature. Introduce me to one subject and I will spend the next several days researching and reading and learning about the whole enormous iceberg hidden under the surface that wasn't addressed. I LOVE learning new things.
I opened my laptop one day to a new lesson in my medical assisting course. I began to learn all about drawing blood and how to do so. In order to be a good MA and draw blood, one obviously needs a basic understanding of the different components that make up blood as well as the different blood types. The lesson was thorough, but not thorough enough for me. So afterward, I pulled out my trusty Anatomy and Physiology textbook and opened up to the cardiovascular system.
I spent days buried in the depths of blood vessels. Such an intriguing world it is!
It's so fascinating that I think you could be interested too if you wanted to be. But if, by this point, I still haven't persuaded you, then just consider this post a research report written by a biology student. Because did you know one of the best ways to retain what you learn is to tell someone else about it? Verbalizing a concept in your own words means you've grasped the understanding of what's going on. Writing is similar; it's just not verbal. (... mini psychology lesson while we're at it ...) So this is just my quest to make sure I've learned what I read.
First of all, did you know that there are four components that make up your blood?
- plasma
- red blood cells
- white blood cells
- platelets
If you take a tube of blood and spin it very rapidly for several minutes (in a special machine called a centrifuge) all the different parts will separate. The bottom 45% will be red blood cells, a thin layer of white blood cells and plasma will be next, and the remaining 55% will be plasma. So, in order from greatest to smallest, here's a description of each.
FUN FACT: Your heart pumps blood through approximately 60,000 miles of vessels.
| PLASMA
Blood plasma is straw-colored and consists mostly of water. The remaining 8% are solutes. A large part of those solutes are proteins. Some of those proteins are also found throughout your body, but some are confined strictly to blood. These proteins are called plasma proteins, and they have very large names. (Albumins, globulins, antibodies/immunoglobulins, and fibrinogens to be exact.) Each of these proteins have special jobs they carry out to keep everything functioning smoothly. From transporting and releasing heat to attacking viruses and bacteria to helping clot blood all the elements of plasma play a large role in the body.
| RED BLOOD CELLS
The main and most important job of the red blood cells (also called erythrocytes) is to carry oxygen from the lungs to all the body parts and then return carbon dioxide to the lungs. All red blood cells contain hemoglobin which is an oxygen-carrying protein. Because of their unique design, red blood cells have a much greater surface area than most other shapes which allow them to carry more oxygen at a time. Another result of the design is lack of ability for a cell to heal or fix damage it sustains during it's journey. For this reason, red blood cells only live about 120 days before they rupture and are removed from the blood circulation by a special process (that's really cool but might bore you). More cells are always being produced in your red bone marrow to replace damaged ones.
FUN FACT: Blood carrying oxygen to all parts of the body is bright red in color. Blood carrying carbon dioxide back to the lungs is darker. Additionally, vessels that pump blood away from the heart carrying oxygen are called arteries and vessels carrying blood back to the heart carrying carbon dioxide are called veins. Therefore, color of blood when you cut yourself can help indicate whether an artery or a vein was cut.
| WHITE BLOOD CELLS
These cells (also called leukocytes) play an important role in keeping viruses and bacteria out of the body. Unlike red blood cells, they have the ability to leave the bloodstream. This allows them to collect at the site of invasions or inflammations. There are five different kinds of white blood cells, each with specific jobs to do. Neutrophils are the quickest to respond to the presence of bacteria and attack with several powerful chemicals. Eosinophils are most commonly activated to combat an allergic reaction or parasite infection. Basophils are get involved when there are inflammatory reactions; very similar to that of eosinophils. Lymphocytes and monocytes are heavily involved in the body's immune response. Lymphocytes are some of the first cells to show up and attack foreign invaders in the body.
| PLATELETS
Blood platelets (also called thrombocytes) are cell fragments enclosed by a plasma membrane. Their job is to help stop blood loss from a damaged vessel. They rush to the site and quickly form a plug in the wall of the vessel. They also release a chemical that helps to promote clotting of the blood. Once activated, they are able to dramatically change shape which allows them to easily come in contact and adhere to each other. At first, the platelet plug is loose, but over time, it tightens and becomes hard to bring ultimate healing to the damage done. Many intricate factors play a part in platelets' ability to stop injury and blood loss to the vessels. Truly, they play an amazing role. They live a very short life and are usually removed within 5-9 days.
FUN FACT: Our brains demand the most blood of any other organ in the body. This is why even the smallest head wounds bleed profusely.
Everyone's blood contains plasma, red and white blood cells, and platelets. But not everyone's blood is the same because of antigens. Antigens have the ability to initiate an immune response from the body. And some people have different antigens in their blood than others. For instance, those with only A antigens in their blood have type A blood. Those with B antigens have type B blood. Those with both have type AB and those with neither have type O.
Additionally blood plasma contains antibodies that react with A or B antigens if they are mixed. A-antibodies react with A-antigens and same with type B. This information is critical to remember when doctors use donated blood on a patient. In short, if the wrong blood is given, a reaction can occur in which the blood begins to clump together inside the recipient causing serious problems that can lead to death.
Therefore, type A people must receive type A blood.
Type B people must receive type B blood.
Those with type O can only receive blood from others with type O, but because they have no antigens they can safely donate blood to all types.
In contrast, those with type AB have both of the antigens meaning that they can safely receive blood from all types. However, they can only give blood to those with the same AB blood type.
There is another antigen called the Rh antigen. The presence of this antigen is marked by a + while an absence is noted with a -. This also factors in when determining which blood types can safely donate to others. Negative types can donate to other negative types and positive or negative can be given to positive types.
FUN FACT: For this reason, O- is known as the universal donor. It can give to A, B, or O types as well as positive or negative types. It is also for this reason that AB+ is known as the universal recipient. This type can receive blood from types A, B, or O as well as negative or positive types.
Fascinating, isn't it? To think that the red stuff flowing through our veins every day is actually so complex and important! I think it's incredibly interesting. But I know biology isn't everyone's first love, and I've probably lost most of you at this point. 🙈
The real reason I began learning all these things from the start was because I had to learn how to draw someone's blood. I think that's what U.S. Career Institute wanted to teach me, but turns out, I was much more interested in the actual blood itself. (I think I still passed the quiz, though.) Since I didn't take biology in school, I never had the opportunity to figure out my blood type. After reading all about blood types, I became so fascinated that I decided to conduct my own personal lab.
I ordered a test, pierced my finger with their cute little lancet, squeezed out large drops of blood, and carefully followed the instructions. I was secretly hoping for some rare blood type to distinguish me from everyone else. I don't really know why. It was just a secret wish. But alas, I rank among the most common of the blood types. O+. It's alright. O+ is also good blood to donate if I ever decide to get brave and do it.
My brain is a curious place. I get stuck on a topic for days, but in an instant, I can hope a whole planet away to another topic. For that reason, my next post might be centered around what Jesus may have been thinking or feeling in the days leading up to His crucifixion. I've also been simultaneously thinking about that too.
(I apologize for any mental whiplash you may have just received.)
I will end with a quote from my very first post :
I also have a very wide span of interests - some being more strange than others. I will become intrigued by the smallest things and feel driven to learn about them and then educate other people in hopefully un-annoying ways. In other words, the content I write about may vary quite a bit. So if you're expecting a general subject theme, look somewhere else.
You know, I never want to use this as an excuse. But sometimes, I think it's my personality. 😅
Primary resources from Anatomy and Physiology by Gail Jenkins and Gerard Tortora, copyright 2017. Said "research report" is open to editing from individuals far more educated than I. :-)
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