HomeWHICHWhich Function Of Human Blood Includes The Other Three

Which Function Of Human Blood Includes The Other Three

Single-celled organisms do not need blood. They obtain nutrients directly from and excrete wastes directly into their environment. The human organism cannot do that. Our large, complex bodies need blood to deliver nutrients to and remove wastes from our trillions of cells. The heart pumps blood throughout the body in a network of blood vessels. Together, these three components—blood, heart, and vessels—makes up the cardiovascular system. This chapter focuses on the medium of transport: blood.

Blood has three main functions: transport, protection / defense, and regulation.

Transport: Blood transports the following substances:

  • Gases, namely oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), between the lungs and rest of the body
  • Nutrients from the digestive tract and storage sites to the rest of the body
  • Waste products to be detoxified or removed by the liver and kidneys
  • Hormones from the glands in which they are produced to their target cells

Protection: Blood has several roles in inflammation:

  • Leukocytes, or white blood cells, destroy invading microorganisms and cancer cells and defend our body.
  • Antibodies and other proteins destroy pathogenic substances
  • Platelet factors initiate blood clotting and protects the body from further blood loss.

Regulation: Blood plays an important role in regulating the body’s systems and maintaining homeostasis. Blood helps regulate:

  • Blood also helps to maintain the chemical balance of the body. Proteins and other compounds in blood act as buffers, which thereby help to regulate the pH of body tissues. Blood also helps to regulate the water content of body cells.
  • Water balance by transferring water to and from tissues
  • Regulating core body temperature – Our body temperature is regulated via a classic negative-feedback loop. If you were exercising on a warm day, your rising core body temperature would trigger several homeostatic mechanisms, including increased transport of blood from your core to your body periphery, which is typically cooler. As blood passes through the vessels of the skin, heat would be dissipated to the environment, and the blood returning to your body core would be cooler. In contrast, on a cold day, blood is diverted away from the skin to maintain a warmer body core. In extreme cases, this may result in frostbite.
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