A blood cell, also called a haematocyte, is a cell produced by haematopoiesis and normally found in blood. In mammals, these fall into three general categories:
- Red blood cells – Erythrocytes
- White blood cells – Leukocytes
- Platelets – Thrombocytes.
Together, these three kinds of blood cells add up to a total 45% of the blood tissue by volume, with the remaining 55% of the volume composed of plasma, the liquid component of blood. This volume percentage (e.g., 45%) of cells to total volume is called hematocrit, determined by centrifuge or flow cytometry. Hemoglobin (the main component of red blood cells) is an iron-containing protein that facilitates transportation of oxygen and other respiratory gases to tissues.
Read more about Blood Cell: Red Blood Cells (Erythrocytes), White Blood Cells (Leukocytes), Platelets (Thrombocytes), Complete Blood Count, Discovery
Famous quotes containing the words blood and/or cell:
“But even suppose blood should flow. Is there not a sort of blood shed when the conscience is wounded? Through this wound a man’s real manhood and immortality flow out, and he bleeds to an everlasting death. I see this blood flowing now.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Why inspire in us a horror of our being?... To look upon the universe as a prison cell and all men as criminals about to be executed is the idea of a fanatic.”
—Voltaire [François Marie Arouet] (1694–1778)