Blood_cells

Blood cells

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A blood cell (also called blood corpuscle) is any cell of any type normally found in blood. In mammals, these fall into three general categories:

Together, these three kinds of blood cells sum up for a total 45% of blood tissue (55% is plasma).^[1]

Comparison
Cell type	Primary function	Lifetime
Red blood cells	transport of oxygen	120 days
White blood cells	produces antibodies to fight infection	days to years
Platelets	blood clotting	8 days

Disorders

See also: hematologic diseases

A decrease in number of blood cells is called cytopenia. An increase, on the other hand, is called polycythemia.^[2]

References

^ Maton, Anthea; Jean Hopkins, Charles William McLaughlin, Susan Johnson, Maryanna Quon Warner, David LaHart, Jill D. Wright (1993). Human Biology and Health. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA: Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-981176-1.
^ Polycythemia vera nlm.nih.gov

External links

What is Blood? from the Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah.
Cells of the blood

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