What Is Blood?

Definition

The blood that leaves you body like if you cut your skin or have your blood drawn at the hospital is called "whole blood." While at the hospital, this "whole blood" is drawn up from your arm into a tube. The tube is sent down to the lab where it is placed in something called a centrifuge, which is a like a fancy carnival ride that spins the tube around in circles at a rate which would make any human being pass out. This allows the "whole blood" to be "spun down" into its 3 major components:

• Plasma:

  • 55% of your TOTAL blood

  • Liquid component of blood. Mostly water (90%), but also contains other important molecules including sugar, fat, ions, salts, proteins, and waste products (10%).

  • If you'd like to know even more information about plasma, click HERE

• Red blood cells:

  • Most abundant cell type in the blood (44% of your TOTAL blood)

  • Using hemoglobin (click HERE for more info) as its major protein, red blood cells are predominantly used for oxygen transport throughout your body

  • Gives your blood that red color

  • If you'd like to know even more information about red blood cells, click HERE

• Buffy Coat:

  • White blood cells

    • 1% of your total blood

    • Used to fight infections

  • Platelets

    • Help create and form blood clots to eliminate excess bleeding

So, putting it all together:

• Whole blood (100%) =

  • 55% plasma

  • 44% red blood cells

  • 1% white blood cells & platelets

Fun Facts About Blood

7-8% of your total body weight is blood

An averaged sized man has about 12 pints (1.5 gallons) of blood. An averaged size woman has about 9 pints (1.125 gallons) of blood