Introduction

Blood consists of blood plasma and cells. This topic covers the constituents of the plasma, and the types of cells found in blood. Every tissue in the body needs a blood supply. Many of the white blood cells leave the blood vessels and migrate into the connective tissue and epithelia. You need to be able to differentiate between the different types of blood cells, and know something about their functions.

Objectives

By the time you have finished this topic, you should know about:

1. The functions and constituents of blood - cells and plasma.
2. The properties of red blood cells (erythrocytes).
3. The five different types of white blood cells and how to identify them in a blood smear.
4. How and where blood cells are formed (Haemopoesis).