Structure and Function of Blood and Bone Marrow

Posted on August 25, 2008

Your blood circulates throughout your whole body. It supplies food, oxygen, hormones and other chemicals to all the body’s cells. It also helps to remove waste products and is important in fighting infection and in controlling bleeding. Blood consists of 60% plasma (fluid) and 40% blood cells. The three most important types of cells are red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Although we think of blood as a fluid, it is actually made up of both fluid and cells. These can be seen under a microscope.

Bone Marrow is the “blood cell factory” which is found filling up the cavities of bones. All blood cells originate and are produced from a single “stem cell” whose progeny grow and mature into different types of blood cells. This stem cell can and does renew itself as required by our body.

Red blood cells (erythrocytes) carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body. If you don’t have enough red blood cells you have anemia.

Anemia can make you look pale and may make you feel tired, dizzy, irritable and short of breath. Red blood cells also pick up wastes on their way around the body, carrying them to the lungs to be breathed out as carbon dioxide.

White blood cells (leucocytes) are the body’s infection fighters. There are three main groups of white blood cells: granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes. Their job is to rid your body of disease-causing bacteria, viruses, fungi and to destroy the body’s dead or defective cells. If we do not have enough white blood cells we are at risk of catching all types of infections.

Platelets are small cells that prevent bleeding and makes blood clot following an injury. When a blood vessel is damaged or cut, platelets rush to the area and clump together to plug the bleeding site. If we do not have enough platelets easy bruising, nose bleeds, prolonged bleeding from cuts, or internal bleeding from the bowel or bladder may occur.

When the body is healthy, the numbers of red cells, white cells and platelets in the blood are kept in balance.

Mehmet Hakan writes articles on Watchealth and Heath Record.

Mehmet_Hakan

Last 6 posts in Leukemia Lymphoma Cancer

Why Natural Breast Cancer Treatment is Best For Your Body

There is currently a raging debate about whether conventional or natural treatments are best for fighting your breast cancer.?Those on the conventional side will say that cancer cannot be cured, only managed, and that natural treatments have not been backed up scientifically.?Those on the natural side will say that conventional treatments are barbaric and usually do more harm than good.

I am a proponent of the natural way of doing things.?I believe that your body has developed breast cancer because of imbalances internally and if you can correct those imbalances, you can eliminate the cancer entirely.?Cutting off body parts and pumping… Continue reading

Breast Cancer Symptoms - What Are They and How Can I Get Rid of Them?

I imagine just about every woman after a certain age has some fear of breast cancer.?That’s not to say it’s on our minds night and day.?But with all we hear in the media and from doctors, it certainly has to be in there somewhere.?We all know someone who has it, has had it, or maybe has even died from it.?But as with all things like this, breast cancer starts with symptoms.?Here’s what to look for if you’re concerned and what to do to fix it if you find anything:

Lumps - Everyone knows this one.?Any odd shaped, irregular lumps in your… Continue reading

The Best Way to Help Someone With Breast Cancer

I’m sure most, if not all of us have had someone close to us diagnosed with breast cancer. Many of us have watched that person go through round after round of chemotherapy. Many of us have watched as their bodies were forever surgically altered. Many of us have watched them lose their battle and pass away. Whatever your experience may be, one thing is certain. Trying to find the right way to help someone with breast cancer can be tough.

I’ll fully admit that there are no right or wrong answers here. It will largely… Continue reading

No tag for this post.

Related posts

  • No related posts.

» Filed Under Leukemia Lymphoma Cancer

Comments

Leave a Reply