What is Blood?

Learn About Blood

Blood and Blood Components

Blood is vital to human life. The fluid carries food and oxygen to every cell in your body to keep it fed and oxygenated. It also takes away carbon dioxide and waste from your cells so your body can get rid of them. Blood is made up of cells (red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells) in a protein-rich liquid (plasma).

The main blood components include:

Platelets <1%

Plasma 55%

Red cells, or Erythrocytes 45%

Platelets

Platelets, or thrombocytes, are small, colorless cell fragments in the blood whose main function is to interact with clotting proteins to stop or prevent bleeding. Platelets are given to patients who are not capable to produce sufficient platelet count in the bone marrow due to the disease or treatment process: patients with leukemia or bone marrow aplasia, patients receiving chemotherapy or radiation.

Components and storage life:
Platelets have short lifetime of 5 days at 22°C

Plasma

Plasma is a fluid, composed of about 92% water, 7% vital proteins such as albumin, gamma globulin, anti- hemophilic factor, and other clotting factors, and 1% mineral salts, sugars, fats, hormones and vitamins. Plasma is used to treat severely burned or injured patients. It is also given to patients with severe hemorrhages and coagulation disorders.

Components and storage life:
Plasma is frozen at -25°C and stored up to one year.

Red cells, or Erythrocytes

Red cells, or erythrocytes carry oxygen from the lungs to your body’s tissue and take carbon dioxide back to your lungs to be exhaled. They are routinely used for patients with massive hemorrhages or diseases causing severe or chronic anemias.

Components and storage life:
RBC have a 42-day shelf life at 2-6 °C.