Anatomy and Physiology Week 9

This week we started going over blood. We know that blood carries hormones, oxygen, etc. We found out that adult men have 6 liters of blood, adult women have 5 liters and pregnant women have 6 liters. Red Blood cells are hemoglobin proteins that transport oxygen atoms. A single Hg transports 4 oxygen atoms which is equivalent to 2 oxygen molecules. It is very difficult to get the hg molecule to bond to the first oxygen atom, once you do, shape change occurs making it easier to bind to the second then easier to bond to the third and so on. Normally 1 out of four atoms are off loaded, during strenous exercize 2 out of four are off loaded and in near death experiences 3 out of four are offloaded. RBC's(erythrocytes) are produced in bone marrow, in flat bones and the proximal epiphesis of long bones. Within 24 hours of leaving the bone marrow the blood cell ejects its nucleus which forms free floating nucleotides, and it because a reticulocyte. Within 90-120 days the cells are phagatosized.