Question

Discuss the composition of blood plasma

Answer 1

- Blood is the fluid of the circulatory system of animals including humans which transports essential nutrients like oxygen to the cells and removes waste products like carbon dioxide and urea from the cells.
- Human blood is composed of the fluid component called plasma and cellular component called blood corpuscles.
- Blood corpuscles constitutes about 45% of blood volume and include red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), platelets (thrombocytes).
- Plasma is the straw colored fluid component of blood. It constitutes about 55% of blood volume.
- The plasma is composed of :- water, plasma proteins, electrolytes and other substances.
- Water is the most abundant component of plasma. About 92% of blood plasma is composed of water.
- Proteins constitutes about 7% of the volume of plasma. The important plasma proteins are albumin and globulins. Albumin is most important protein for maintaining the osmotic pressure of blood and helps in retaining water within the blood. Albumin also acts as a buffer and regulate the blood pH. Other proteins present in the plasma include clotting factors that are concerned with blood coagulation and maintaining hemostasis. Antibodies (immunoglobulins) are proteins produced by specialized B cells that is concerned with the immunity.
- Electrolytes in the blood plasma include ions like sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, calcium, bicarbonates.
- Nutrients like glucose, amino acids, fatty acids are transported through the plasma to the cells. Respiratory gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide are also dissolved in the plasma.