Blood Types Are WEIRDER Than You Think

Summary

This video delves into the fascinating world of blood, exploring its various forms, functions, and the science behind its different colors and types. From red blood cells transporting oxygen to platelets preventing blood loss, blood plays a crucial role in sustaining life. The video covers the ABO blood type system, rare blood types like Bombay phenotype and RH-null, and even the blood of different animals, such as blue blood in horseshoe crabs. It also touches on the ongoing search for synthetic blood and how blood's complexity continues to intrigue scientists, emphasizing its essential role in our bodies.

Takeaways

• 😀 Blood is made up of four main components: plasma, platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells.
• 😀 Plasma, which makes up about half of your blood, is primarily water and helps transport nutrients, waste, and maintains fluid balance.
• 😀 Platelets, cell fragments rather than full cells, help stop bleeding by forming clots at injury sites.
• 😀 Red blood cells are the most abundant blood cells and are responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body using hemoglobin.
• 😀 White blood cells protect the body from harmful invaders by identifying and attacking foreign substances.
• 😀 Blood color varies across the animal kingdom—some animals have blue, green, or even clear blood due to different proteins like hemocyanin and hemerythrin.
• 😀 The ABO blood system classifies blood into groups based on antigens found on red blood cells, with A, B, AB, and O being the main groups.
• 😀 O-negative blood is the universal red blood cell donor, while AB-positive blood is the universal plasma donor.
• 😀 The discovery of blood types began with Dr. Karl Landsteiner's experiments, which revealed how certain blood groups clump or agglutinate when mixed.
• 😀 RH-negative blood lacks the Rhesus factor and is rarer, with a very small percentage of people having this type, called golden blood.
• 😀 Blood types may have evolved to provide immunity or survival advantages against diseases like plague, smallpox, or tuberculosis.
• 😀 Some animals, like jellyfish and insects, don't have blood, but instead use other fluids like hemolymph to transport gases and nutrients.

Q & A

Why does blood come in different colors like blue, green, or even clear?

Blood can appear in different colors across the tree of life due to various proteins and pigments that bind to oxygen. For example, some animals use copper-based proteins, like hemocyanin in horseshoe crabs, which gives their blood a blue hue, while others, like certain marine worms, have purple blood due to hemerythrin.

What is the primary function of plasma in blood?

Plasma serves as a liquid highway that carries nutrients, blood cells, and chemical messages around the body. It also transports waste to the body's dump and recycling centers, and helps regulate fluid and electrolyte balance.

How does plasma contribute to sweating?

Plasma helps with sweating by absorbing water from the body when you get hot. As the plasma volume increases, it provides a reservoir for sweat to be produced, which then cools down the body.

What role do platelets play in blood?

Platelets, which are cell fragments, play a crucial role in clotting. When a blood vessel is damaged, platelets form a plug to seal the injury, preventing excessive bleeding.

Why do red blood cells not have a nucleus?

Red blood cells lack a nucleus to make them more flexible, allowing them to squeeze through the tiniest blood vessels. It also provides more room to pack hemoglobin, which is essential for oxygen transport. However, without a nucleus, red blood cells cannot repair themselves or reproduce.

How many red blood cells are in the human body?

The human body contains about 30 trillion red blood cells, which is hundreds of times more than any other type of cell. There are around a billion red blood cells in just one drop of blood.

What determines a person's blood type?

A person's blood type is determined by the specific antigens on the surface of their red blood cells. These antigens are inherited and are either A, B, or none (O). The plasma also contains antibodies that react with different antigens.

What is the universal blood donor type and why?

The universal blood donor type is O-negative, because O type red blood cells lack both A and B antigens, meaning they can be safely transfused to any blood group without causing a reaction.

What is the difference between Rh-positive and Rh-negative blood types?

Rh-positive blood has the RhD protein on the red blood cells, while Rh-negative blood lacks this protein. This difference is important for blood transfusions, as Rh-negative individuals can develop an immune response if given Rh-positive blood.

What is the Bombay phenotype and why is it significant?

The Bombay phenotype is a rare blood type where individuals lack A, B, and O antigens, meaning they don't fit into the traditional ABO system. This makes blood transfusions very difficult for these individuals, as they can only receive blood from others with the same rare type.

What is 'golden blood' and why is it so rare?

Golden blood refers to Rh-null blood, which lacks all Rh antigens. It's extremely rare, with only about 40 known cases globally. People with Rh-null blood can only receive transfusions from others with the same blood type.