Blood & Its Importance

Blood and its Importance
Objectives
● Identify the components of blood

● State the function of the components of blood
● Describe the components of the circulatory system and
their functions
● Compare properties of main blood vessels
● Identify the blood groups
● Discuss the impact of blood groups on transfusion
Components and function of Blood
Components of the Circulatory
System
The main components of the

circulatory system are:
1. Heart - pumps blood to and from

the body
2. Arteries - carries deoxygenated
blood away from the heart to the
lungs
3. Veins - carries oxygenated blood
from the lungs to the heart
4. Capillaries - surrounds tissues
and organs where nutrients and
gases are exchanged
How does the Circulatory
System work?
Deoxygenated blood (blue blood) from

the body is transported to the right
atrium of the heart. By electrical
impulses, the blood in the right
atrium is pumped into the right
ventricle through the tricuspid
valve. Another electrical impulse
pumps blood from the right ventricle
into the pulmonary arteries which
then take this deoxygenated blood to
the lungs to be refreshed.
How does the Circulatory
System work? (cont’d)
Once the lungs refreshes the deoxygenated

blood with oxygenated (O2) blood (red blood),
the O2 blood is taken back to the left atrium
of the heart via the pulmonary veins. The O2
blood is then pumped into the left ventricle
through the mitral valve. O2 blood is pumped
from the left ventricle into the aorta and its
branches where it is taken to the rest of the
body. Once the body has exchanged O2 for CO2
and absorbed the nutrients it needs, the
deoxygenated blood returns to the heart via
the inferior and superior vena cava and the
cycle repeats.
Comparisons of blood vessels
The blood vessels include:
1. Arteries - carries blood

away from the heart
2. Veins - carries blood
towards the heart
3. Capillaries - links
arterioles and veins
Comparisons of blood vessels
Comparison between Arteries, Veins and Capillaries
Blood Groups
The four main blood groups are: A, B, O and AB. Your blood group
is determined by the genes you inherit from your parents.
Each group can be either RhD positive or RhD

negative, which means in total there are 8
blood groups.
Your blood group is identified by antibodies

and antigens in the blood. Antibodies are
proteins found in plasma. They're part of your
body's natural defences. They recognise
foreign substances, such as germs, and alert
your immune system, which destroys them.
Antigens are protein molecules found on the
surface of red blood cells.
Blood Groups
Blood Transfusions
Receiving blood from the wrong blood group can be life-

threatening. For example, if someone with group B blood is
given group A blood, their anti-A antibodies will attack the
group A cells.
This is why group A blood must never be given to someone who

has group B blood and vice versa.
As group O red blood cells do not have any A or B antigens,

it can safely be given to any other group.
Blood type and genetics
Rh (Rhesus) factor
Red blood cells sometimes have another antigen, a protein

known as the RhD antigen. If this is present, your blood
group is RhD positive. If it's absent, your blood group is
RhD negative.
In most cases, O RhD negative blood (O-) can safely be given

to anyone. It's safe for most recipients because it does not
have any A, B or RhD antigens on the surface of the cells,
and is compatible with every other ABO and RhD blood group.
RhD (Rhesus Disease)
Pregnant women are always given a blood group test. This is because if the
mother is Rh negative but the child has inherited Rh-positive blood from the
father, it could cause complications if left untreated. If blood cells from the
baby travel across the placenta, the woman's immune system will see the Rh-
positive cells as a threat. Specialised white blood cells will make antibodies
designed to kill Rh-positive blood cells.
If the woman later conceives another Rh-positive baby, her immune system will
flood the fetus with antibodies. These antibodies then destroy the baby's red
blood cells. If left untreated, this can result in severe anaemia or even death
of the baby. This is called haemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN).
Rh-negative women of child-bearing age should always only receive Rh-negative

blood.
RhD cont’d
When it’s time for conception…
Before you think about

conceiving a baby, ensure that
your partner’s blood type is
compatible to yours. Many
couples go through countless
miscarriages because there blood
types do not complement each
other.
Assessment
1. Describe the 4 main components of blood and their functions.

2. For each word below, describe their function in the circulatory
system.
a. Heart
b. Arteries
c. Veins
d. Capillaries
3. List 3 main differences between the arteries and the veins.
4. Discuss why a person in blood group AB can receive blood from any
other blood group but cannot give blood to any other blood group
but AB.
5. Discuss the impact that the RH factor can have on a pregnant woman.
Assessment
Use the link below to label

the diagram as shown on the
right.
https://wordwall.net/resource
/2915298/pe/cardiovascular-sy
stem-label-the-double-circula
tory-system

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Blood and its Importance

● Identify the components of blood

The main components of the

1. Heart - pumps blood to and from

Deoxygenated blood (blue blood) from

Once the lungs refreshes the deoxygenated

The blood vessels include:

1. Arteries - carries blood

Each group can be either RhD positive or RhD

Your blood group is identified by antibodies

Receiving blood from the wrong blood group can be life-

This is why group A blood must never be given to someone who

As group O red blood cells do not have any A or B antigens,

Red blood cells sometimes have another antigen, a protein

In most cases, O RhD negative blood (O-) can safely be given

Rh-negative women of child-bearing age should always only receive Rh-negative

Before you think about

1. Describe the 4 main components of blood and their functions.

Use the link below to label

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