This document provides information about blood components and disorders. It discusses the main components of blood - red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. It describes their functions and production. The document also examines several common blood disorders like anemia, pernicious anemia, aplastic anemia, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, hemophilia, and thrombocytopenia. For each disorder, it provides details on causes, symptoms, and treatment when available.

1. TOPIC: BLOOD
COMPONENTS
AND DISORDERS
MADE BY : ANKITA JHA

2. BLOOD
■ Blood is actually a tissue. It is thick because it is made up
of a variety of cells, each having a different job. In fact,
blood is about 80% water and 20% solid.
■ Normally, 7-8% of human body weight is from blood. In
adults, this amounts to 4.5-6 quarts of blood. This essential
fluid carries out the critical functions of transporting oxygen
and nutrients to our cells and getting rid of carbon dioxide,
ammonia, and other waste products. In addition, it plays a
vital role in our immune system and in maintaining a
relatively constant body temperature. Blood is a highly
specialized tissue composed of more than 4,000 different
kinds of components. Four of the most important ones are

3. What does blood do?
■ Blood carries oxygen from the lungs and nutrients
from the digestive tract to the body’s cells. It also
carries away carbon dioxide and all of the waste
products that the body does not need. (The kidneys
filter and clean the blood.) Blood also
■ Helps keep your body at the right temperature
■ Carries hormones to the body’s cells
■ Sends antibodies to fight infection
■ Contains clotting factors to help the blood to clot
and the body’s tissues to he

4. BLOOD VESSELS
■ They are two types of blood vessels namely arteries and veins.
■ Veins are the blood vessels that carry carbon dioxide-rich blood [impure
blood] from all parts of the body back to the heart. Pulmonary vein is
an exception as it carries oxygen-rich blood [pure blood] from lungs to
heart. The veins have thin walls.
■ Arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from heart to
all parts of the body. Pulmonary artery is an exception as it carries
carbon dioxide-rich blood from heart to lungs. The arteries have thick
walls as the pressure acting on then is high.
■ Blood FROM Heart → Artery
■ Blood TO Heart → Vein
■ Arteries divide into smaller vessels. On reaching the tissues, they divide
further into extremely thin tubes called capillaries. The capillaries join up
to form veins which empty into the hear

5. Erythrocytes,
leucocytes and platelets are
collectively called formed
elements and they constitute nearly
45 per cent of the blood.
FORMED ELEMENTS OF BL

6. RED BLOOD CELLS Or
ERYTHROCYTES
■ Erythrocytes or red blood cells (RBC) are the most
abundant of all the cells in blood. Red cells normally make
up 40-50% of the total blood volume
■ A healthy adult man has, on an average, 5 million to 5.5
million of RBCs mm-3 of blood.
■ RBCs are formed in the red bone marrow in the adults.
RBCs are devoid of nucleus in most of the mammals and
are biconcave in shape.
■ They have a red coloured, iron containing complex protein
called haemoglobin, hence the colour and name of these
cells.

8. WHITE BLOOD CELLS Or
LEUKOCYTE
■ Leukocyte are also known as white blood cells (WBC) as
they are colourless due to the lack of haemoglobin. They
are nucleated and are relatively lesser in number which
averages 6000-8000 mm-3 of blood. Leucocytes are
generally short lived. We have two main categories of
WBCs – granulocytes and agranulocytes.
■ Neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils are different types of
granulocytes, while lymphocytes and monocytes are the
agranulocytes.
■ Neutrophils are the most abundant cells (60-65 per cent) of
the total WBCs and basophils are the least (0.5-1 per cent)
among them.

9. CONT..
■ Basophils secrete histamine, serotonin, heparin, etc.,
and are involved in inflammatory reactions.
■ Eosinophils (2-3 per cent) resist infections and are
also associated with allergic reactions.
■ Lymphocytes (20-25 per cent) are of two major
types – ‘B’ and ‘T’ forms. Both B and T
lymphocytes are responsible for immune
responses of the body.
■ White cells or Leukocytes exist in variable
numbers and types but make up a very small part

11. PLATELETS
■ Platelets also called thrombocytes, are cell fragments
produced from megakaryocytes (special cells in the bone
marrow).
■ Blood normally contains 1,500,00-3,500,00 platelets mm-3.
■ Platelets can release a variety of substances most of which
are involved in the coagulation or clotting of blood
■ Recent research has shown that platelets also help fight
infections by releasing proteins that kill invading bacteria
and some other microorganisms. In addition, platelets
stimulate the immune system. Individual platelets are about
1/3 the size of red cells. They have a lifespan of 9-10
days. Like the red and white blood cells, platelets are

12. PLASMA
■ Plasma is made up of about 90% water. It also contains
salts and enzymes. And it has antibodies that help fight
infection, plus proteins called albumin and fibrinogen.
■ Plasma helps carry proteins, hormones, and nutrients to
different cells in your body. These include growth hormones
that help your muscles and bones grow, as well as clotting
factors that help you stop bleeding when you get a cut.
■ Some of the nutrients it helps deliver are minerals
like potassium and sodium. These help your cells work.
■ Plasma helps your body maintain normal blood pressure and
blood volume levels. It also gets rid of the chemical waste
from cells. It does this by dissolving the substances the

14. BLOOD DISORDERS
■ A blood disorder is any condition that impacts one or more parts of the
blood, usually interfering with its ability to work correctly.
■ Blood disorder can be categorised as Common Blood Disorder like
anaemia and Rare Blood Disorder like thalassemia.
■ Types of Blood Disorder:
– Blood Disorders Affecting Red Blood Cells like Anaemia, Pernicious
anaemia (B12 deficiency), Aplastic anaemia, Autoimmune haemolytic
anaemia etc.
– Blood disorders that affect White Blood Cells like Lymphoma,
Leukaemia, Multiple myeloma.
– Blood Disorders Affecting Blood Plasma like haemophilia
– Blood Disorders Affecting Platelets like thrombocytopenia.

15. ANAEMIA
■ Anaemia means that either the level of red blood cells or
the level of haemoglobin is lower than normal. When a
person has anaemia, their heart has to work harder to
pump the quantity of blood needed to get enough oxygen
around their body. During heavy exercise, the cells may not
be able to carry enough oxygen to meet the body’s needs
and the person can become exhausted and feel unwell.
Anaemia isn’t a disease in itself, but a result of a
malfunction somewhere in the body. This blood condition is
common, particularly in females. Some estimates suggest
that around one in five menstruating women and half of all
pregnant women are anaemic.

17. CAUSES OF ANAEMIA
■ dietary deficiency – lack of iron, vitamin B12 or
folic acid in the diet
■ malabsorption – where the body is not able to
properly absorb or use the nutrients in the diet,
caused by conditions such as coeliac disease
■ inherited disorders – such as thalassaemia or sickle
cell disease
■ autoimmune disorders – such as autoimmune
haemolytic anaemia, where the immune cells attack
the red blood cells and decrease their life span

18. CONT..
■ bone marrow disorders – such as cancer
■ blood loss – due to trauma, surgery, peptic ulcer, heavy
menstruation, cancer (in particular bowel cancer), or frequent
blood donations
■ drugs and medications – including alcohol, antibiotics, anti-
inflammatory drugs or anti-coagulant medications
■ mechanical destruction –mechanical heart valves can
damage red blood cells, reducing their lifespan
■ infection – such as malaria and septicaemia, which reduce
the life span of red blood cells
■ periods of rapid growth or high energy requirements –

19. GROUPS AT HIGHER
RISK
■ Certain people are at increased risk of anaemia, including:
■ menstruating women
■ pregnant and breastfeeding women
■ babies, especially if premature
■ children going through puberty
■ people following a vegetarian or vegan diet
■ people with cancer, stomach ulcers and some chronic
diseases
■ people on fad diets

20. PERNICIOUSANAEMIA
■ Pernicious Anaemia (Autoimmune Metaplastic
Atrophic Gastritis) is the most common cause of
Vitamin B12 Deficiency but it is not the only reason
for patients becoming deficient in this vitally
important vitamin.
■ Vitamin B12 Deficiency is a worldwide problem.‘ In
the United Kingdom and United States the
prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency is around 6%
in people aged less than 60 years, and closer to
20% in those aged more than 60 years’2. One
author has calculated that nearly 6 million people in

21. CAUSES OF PERNICIOUS
ANAEMIA■ Common causes of pernicious anaemia include:
1) Weakened stomach lining (atrophic gastritis).
2) An autoimmune condition in which the body's immune
system attacks the actual intrinsic factor protein or the cells
in the lining of your stomach that make it.
3) In rare cases, pernicious anaemia is passed down through
families. This is called congenital pernicious anaemia.
Babies with this type of anaemia do not make enough
intrinsic factor. Or they cannot properly absorb vitamin B12
in the small intestine
4) Parasites Including:
■ Fish Tapeworm (Diphyllobothrium) that steals up to 80% of

22. APLASTIC ANAEMIA
■ Aplastic anaemia can be moderate, severe or very
severe. People with severe or very severe aplastic
anaemia are at risk for life-threatening infections or
bleeding. With prompt and proper care, most people
who have aplastic anaemia can be successfully
treated. The only cure for aplastic anaemia is
a bone marrow transplant.
■ Aplastic anaemia can strike at any age regardless
of race or gender. However, it is diagnosed more
often in children, young adults and older adults. It
also appears more often in Asian-Americans. Each

23. CAUSES OF APLASTIC
ANAEMIA
■ Causes include:
■ Toxic substances, such as pesticides, arsenic, and
benzene
■ Radiation therapy and chemotherapy for cancer
■ Certain medicines
■ Infections such as hepatitis, Epstein-Barr virus, or
HIV
■ Autoimmune disorders
■ Certain inherited conditions

24. AUTOIMMUNE HAEMOLYTIC
ANAEMIA
■ Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia is a rare red
blood cell disorder and an immune disorder. It
happens when the body produces antibodies that
destroy the red blood cells
■ Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA), or
immune haemolytic anaemia, happens when the
immune system does not work properly. It mistakes
red blood cells for unwanted substances and
attacks them, causing them to die early. This
leaves a person without enough red blood cells.
Red blood cells last for about 120 days before the

25. CAUSES:
■ Possible causes include:
■ Certain chemicals, drugs, and toxins
■ Infections
■ Transfusion of blood from a donor with a blood type that does not
match
■ Certain cancers
■ When antibodies form against red blood cells for no reason, the
condition is called idiopathic autoimmune haemolytic anaemia.
■ The antibodies may also be caused by:
■ Complication of another disease
■ Past blood transfusions

26. LYMPHOMA
■ Lymphoma is a broad term for cancer that begins in cells
of the lymph system. The two main types are Hodgkin
lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Hodgkin
lymphoma can often be cured. The prognosis of NHL
depends on the specific type
■ It develops in lymphocytes, which are a type of white
blood cell. These cells help fight disease in the body and
play an essential role in the body’s immune defenses.
■ Cancer is the result of uncontrolled cell growth. The
average lifespan of a cell is brief, and then the cell dies. In
people with lymphoma, however, the cell thrives and
spreads instead of dying.

28. LEUKAEMIA
■ Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells. White blood
cells help your body fight infection. Your blood cells form in
your bone marrow. In leukaemia, the bone marrow produces
abnormal white blood cells. These cells crowd out the
healthy blood cells, making it hard for blood to do its work.
■ There are different types of leukaemia, including:
■ Acute lymphocytic leukaemia
■ Acute myeloid leukaemia
■ Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
■ Chronic myeloid leukaemia

30. MULTIPLE MYELOMA
■ Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells in the
bone marrow.
■ Seek medical care for
unexplained pain, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, vision
problems, or chronic tingling or numbness.
■ There is no cure for multiple myeloma. Treatment of multiple
myeloma focuses on decreasing the severity of symptoms
with medications, stem cell transplants, bisphosphonate
therapy, platelet transfusions, and/or plasmapheresis
■ The cause of multiple myeloma is unknown. Though there
are no known risk factors for multiple myeloma, researchers
suggest that genetic abnormalities, such as c- Myc genes or

31. HAEMOPHILIA
■ Haemophilia is a genetic disorder in which the blood
doesn’t clot normally. Perhaps the most well-known
“bleeding disorder”, haemophilia can be mild, moderate or
severe depending on the amount of so-called “clotting
factors” – a group of proteins – in the blood. Haemophilia is
a world-wide issue which occurs in all racial groups, but
almost exclusively affects men.
■ Haemophilia is a rare condition. The most common type of
haemophilia affects approximately 1 man out of 5
thousand, whereas only 1 in 25 million women is living with
haemophilia. The global incidence of haemophilia is not
precisely known, but it is estimated that 1,125,000 people
.

33. THROMBOCYTOPENIA
■ A low platelet count may also be called thrombocytopenia. This
condition can range from mild to severe, depending on its underlying
cause.
■ If you have a low platelet count, you may experience:
■ red, purple, or brown bruises, which are called purpura
■ a rash with small red or purple dots called petechiae
■ nosebleeds
■ bleeding gums
■ bleeding from wounds that lasts for a prolonged period or doesn’t stop
on its own
■ heavy menstrual bleeding

34. CAUSES OF LOW PLATELET:
■ The causes of low platelet production include:
■ aplastic anaemia
■ vitamin B-12 deficiency
■ folate deficiency
■ iron deficiency
■ viral infections, including HIV, Epstein-Barr, and chickenpox
■ exposure to chemotherapy, radiation, or toxic chemicals
■ consuming too much alcohol
■ Cirrhosis
■ leukaemia
■ myelodysplasia

35. THANKYOU