In every corner of our body, there are countless blood cells working silently, these cells play many important roles in the microcosm, they are not only the transmitters of life vitality, but also the warriors in the battle against disease. This article will take you to understand these blood cells in depth, so let's start a wonderful journey of blood cells.
Blood cells include red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, all of which are produced by the bone marrow and originate from a common cell, pluripotent stem cells. Pluripotent stem cells within the bone marrow continue to differentiate and mature, eventually developing mature blood cells that then enter the blood circulation. Because each cell has a different lifespan, red blood cells survive about 120 days, platelets about 7 to 10 days, and white blood cells from a few days to weeks, so the bone marrow needs to constantly produce new blood cells to replace old or dead cells.
Blood made up of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets is constantly flowing through the circulatory system to keep our lives running.
The first is the red blood cells that have the highest number of blood cells
The human body contains about 4.5 billion red blood cells per microliter of blood, and their main function is to transport oxygen and carbon dioxide. They carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to all parts of the body; At the same time, carbon dioxide, a waste product produced by the body's metabolism, is collected and brought back to the lungs to be excreted through breathing. This function is achieved by the hemoglobin in red blood cells, which is red because of its iron content, and is also responsible for the red color of the blood.
This is followed by white blood cells
As an important part of the body's immune system, white blood cells are tasked with identifying and destroying invading pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. White blood cells can protect our body in different ways, including engulfing pathogens, producing antibodies, and mediating various immune responses. They are broadly divided into two broad categories – phagocytes (such as macrophages and neutrophils) and lymphocytes (such as B cells and T cells). When the human body is infected by bacteria or viruses, the number of white blood cells increases, which is also the basis for doctors to determine whether there is an infection through routine blood tests.
The last one is platelets, which are responsible for hemostasis and clotting
Platelets do not have a nucleus and are formed by the lysis of megakaryocytes in the bone marrow. Its main function is to quickly gather at the site of injury when the blood vessels are damaged, forming embolism to block bleeding; At the same time, it participates in the coagulation process and promotes wound recovery. This function of platelets is crucial to stop bleeding quickly and prevent excessive blood loss.
A complete blood count is a common way to determine whether blood cells are normal
A routine blood count not only measures the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, but also whether they are normal in form and function. Abnormal blood counts may indicate a variety of conditions, such as anemia (decrease in red blood cells), infection (increase in white blood cells), and bleeding tendency (thrombocytopenia). In addition, doctors can monitor the effects of the disease through a complete blood test.
Blood cells seem insignificant, but they actually carry the mystery of life, and they are not only the transmitters of vitality, but also the guardians of health. Whether it's a silent night or a hard day, these cells work non-stop to maintain our health and vitality.
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Important reminder: This article is for reference only for the purpose of popular science, and is not used as a basis for diagnosis and treatment
*: Pan Xingyu, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture Ethnic Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Hunan Province].
Edit: xc Statement: **Network, invasion and deletion].