Blood Composition: Understanding Plasma, Red Blood Cells & White Blood Cells

Plasma (approximately 55%):

- Water (approximately 92%)

- Electrolytes (including sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, and magnesium)

- Proteins (including albumin, globulins, and fibrinogen)

- Hormones

- Waste products (such as urea, creatinine, and bilirubin)

Red blood cells (approximately 45%):

- Hemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen

- Red blood cell membrane

- Cytoplasm

White blood cells (less than 1%):

- Neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that fights infection

- Lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight infection and produce antibodies

- Eosinophils, a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight allergies and parasitic infections

- Basophils, a type of white blood cell that releases histamine, a chemical that causes inflammation

- Monocytes, a type of white blood cell that develops into macrophages, which are cells that engulf and destroy foreign particles

Platelets (less than 1%):

- Cell fragments that help the blood to clot