Blood
Vocabulary
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| red blood cells | 红细胞 | hóng xì bāo |
| haemoglobin | 血红蛋白 | xuè hóng dàn bái |
| biconcave | 双凹的 | shuāng āo de |
| platelets | 血小板 | xuè xiǎo bǎn |
| plasma | 血浆 | xuè jiāng |
| white blood cells | 白细胞 | bái xì bāo |
| clot | 凝血 | níng xuè |
More than a red liquid
- Blood looks like a simple red liquid, but it's a mixture of cells and fluid doing many jobs at once.
- It has four main parts.
Explore
Blood component lab
Classify blood components by the job they do.
Practice
Red blood cells carry oxygen using:
Haemoglobin binds oxygen.
Practice
Red blood cells have no nucleus, leaving more room for haemoglobin.
No nucleus and a biconcave shape suit oxygen transport.
Red blood cells 红细胞
- Red blood cells carry oxygen, using the red pigment haemoglobin 血红蛋白.
- They have no nucleus and a biconcave 双凹的 shape — more room and surface area for oxygen.
Blood is red cells, white cells and platelets 血小板 carried in liquid plasma 血浆
Practice
White blood cells:
White blood cells defend against pathogens.
Practice
Platelets help to:
Platelets are needed for clotting.
White blood cells 白细胞 and platelets
- White blood cells fight pathogens (some engulf them, some make antibodies).
- Platelets are cell fragments that help the blood to clot 凝血 at a wound.
Practice
The liquid part of blood that carries cells and nutrients is ______.
Plasma carries cells, nutrients, hormones, waste and heat.
Plasma
- Plasma is the pale yellow liquid that carries everything: blood cells, nutrients, hormones, waste and heat.
Example
Worked example. A red blood cell's lack of a nucleus leaves more space for haemoglobin, and its biconcave disc shape gives a large surface area — both adaptations for carrying as much oxygen as possible.
You've got it
Key idea
- red blood cells carry oxygen (haemoglobin; no nucleus; biconcave)
- white blood cells fight pathogens; platelets help clotting
- plasma is the liquid carrying cells, nutrients, hormones, waste and heat