Main subjects:
14.1. Erythrocyte metabolism
14.2. Main biochemical mechanisms of hemostasis
14.3. Blood plasma proteins
Blood is the internal liquid medium of the body the volume of which is 5-6 L in adults. Liquid part of blood is plasma which contains about 7% of proteins and low-molecular compounds. Formed elements of the blood are the following cells: erythrocytes, throm-bocytes, and leukocytes that perform various functions. The main functions of blood are conditioned by blood circulation in vessels and transportation of metabolites between different organs.
Blood respiratory function consists of transportation of oxygen as part of erythrocyte hemoglobin from the lungs to tissues and carbon dioxide from tissues to lungs.
Trophic function is the transport of products of food digestion from the intestine to tissues.
Excretory function consists of the removing of metabolite waste products from tissues to excretory organs.
Blood performs regulatory function because it delivers signal molecules to the target organs.
Protective function involves two aspects. Firstly blood includes cell corpuscles (leukocytes) and humoral (antibodies) components of the immune response. Secondly blood possesses the ability to coagulate and form clots preventing the loss of blood from the body.
Blood maintains an acid-base equilibrium and water balance, and also stabilizes the body temperature carrying out the heat exchange between tissues.
14.1. ERYTHROCYTES METABOLISM
Erythrocytes are the highly specialized cells whose dry residue is composed of 95% of the hemoglobin. This heme-containing protein transpors oxygen from lungs to tissues and carbon dioxide formed in tissues to the lung alveoli. Erythrocytes do not contain nucleus, mitochondria and other organelles and are not capable