blood cell
| Dictionary: blood cell |
n.
Any of the cells contained in blood; an erythrocyte or leukocyte; a blood corpuscle.
| 5min Related Video: blood cell |
| Food and Nutrition: blood cells |
Three main types of cell are present in blood: erythrocytes or red cells, leucocytes or white cells, and platelets. Red blood cells contain the protein haemoglobin, which is responsible for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to tissues, and of carbon dioxide from tissues to the lungs. White blood cells are generally concerned with protection against invading micro-organisms, and platelets with the ability of the blood to coagulate, and so prevent excessive blood loss through bleeding.
| Dental Dictionary: blood cells |
n.pl
Any of the formed elements of the blood, including red cells (erythrocytes), white cells (leukocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes).
| Veterinary Dictionary: blood cells |
See erythrocyte and leukocyte. Platelets are classed separately.
| Wikipedia: Blood cell |
A blood cell (also called blood corpuscle) is any cell of any type normally found in blood. In mammals, these fall into three general categories:
- red blood cells — Erythrocytes
- white blood cells — Leukocytes
- platelets — Thrombocytes
Together, these three kinds of blood cells sum up for a total 45% of blood tissue by volume (55% is plasma).[1] This is called the hematocrit and can be determined by centrifuge or flow cytometry.
Contents |
Types
Red blood cells
Main article: Red blood cell
Red blood cells are primarily for carrying oxygen and some carbon dioxide through the use of hemoglobin and have a lifetime of 120 days.
White blood cells
Main article: White blood cell
White blood cells are part of the innate immune system and have a lifetime of a few days to years.
Platelets
Main article: Platelet
Platelets are involved in blood coagulation and have a lifetime of about 9 days [2].
Disorders
See also: hematologic diseases
There are several conditions that affect red blood cells, and one that affects white blood cells.
One condition, anemia, occurs when the number of red blood cells is lower than normal. An opposite conditions, known as polycythemia occurs when the number of red blood cells is greater than normal.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) occurs when a white blood cell mistakenly grants permission to harmful bacteria and viruses to enter the bloodstream.
Sickle-Cell Disease occurs when red blood cells, which normally look like glazed doughnuts, take on the form of sickles. This condition prevents the infected cells from carrying as much oxygen.
References
- ^ Maton, Anthea; Jean Hopkins, Charles William McLaughlin, Susan Johnson, Maryanna Quon Warner, David LaHart, Jill D. Wright (1993). Human Biology and Health. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA: Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-981176-1.
- ^ http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119622203/abstract
External links
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Learning resources from Wikiversity- What is Blood? from the Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah.
- Cells of the blood
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 | hemocyte |
| Plasma cells (in medicine) |
| RBC (abbreviation) |
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Food and Nutrition. A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2005 by A. E. Bender and D. A. Bender. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Blood cell". Read more |
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Mentioned in
- hemocyte
- Plasma cells (in medicine)
- RBC (abbreviation)
- WBC
- WBC (abbreviation)
- spherocyte (pathology)
- RBC
- myelocyte
- cytopenia (pathology)
- Leukocyte (in medicine)
- Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (in medicine)
- Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (in medicine)
- Mean corpuscular volume (in medicine)
- erythrocyte (histology)
