The document discusses the main components of blood: blood plasma, which is the straw-colored liquid portion; red blood cells, which deliver oxygen to tissues; white blood cells, which defend the body against infection; and platelets, which are involved in blood clotting and originate from fragmentation of megakaryocytes. It also mentions that megakaryocytes produce platelets and that hemostasis is the process by which bleeding stops to keep blood within damaged blood vessels.

1. BLOOD
biol
ogy

2. BLOOD PLASMA
Straw-
colored/pale-
yellow liquid
component of
blood that

3. RED BLOOD CELLS
The most common type
of blood cell and
the vertebrate organism
's principal means of
delivering oxygen to the
body tissues via
the blood flow through

4. WHITE BLOOD CELLS
Are cells of
the immune
system involved
in defending the
body against

5. PLATELETS
Are small, irregularly
shaped clear cell
fragments, which are derived
from fragmentation of
precursor
megakaryocytes*. The
average lifespan of a
platelet is normally just 5

6. *
Precursor
megakaryocytes is responsible
for the production of blood platelets, which are necessary for
normal blood clotting.
Hemostasis is a process which causes bleeding
to stop, meaning to keep blood within a damaged blood vessel. It is
the first stage of wound healing.