What is Blood?

Blood is the most important fluid in the body. Its task is to remove waste products from the body and to provide every cell with vital substances such as:

• fuel (energy) from food
• oxygen
• vitamins
• hormones

Blood consists of both liquid and solid particles.

Plasma

90% water, salt, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins

carries cells throughout the body

Red blood cells

carry oxygen to the body

continually being replenished every 3 months

White corpuscles

help fight infections

Platelets

responsible for clotting

Blood Types
Blood typing is critical for blood transfusion.

There are 8 groups of blood types, which is determined by which antigens are present in the blood: A, B, O, AB, and D (known as the RH factor). Mixing different blood groups causes clumping, which is extremely fatal.

O- is the universal donor because it doesn't have any of the antigens. AB+ is the universal recipient because it contains all 3 antigens (A, B, RH+).

next page: Process of Blood donations