Introduction
The human body is a complex machine that has various components that play different roles to ensure people develop and grow without problems. Blood plays an important role in the body because it ensures there are efficient gaseous exchange, respiration and excretion systems, and coordination of various parts. It regulates the body temperature and eases response to changes in the environment. Blood consists of antigens, fibrinogen, hemoglobin, neutrophils, serum, and other components that play important roles in the human body.
Antigens
These are substances found in the body or outside it to ensure they activate the immune system to produce antibodies to ensure dangerous substances are destroyed or expelled (Guallar 2012, p 34). Antigens found in the red blood cells may be proteins or sugars and they determine the blood type of individuals. Self-antigens are those produced by the body and can be tolerated by the immune system because their characteristics are similar to those of their host. Foreign antigens are produced outside the body and are harmful; therefore, they make the immune system react by expelling or destroying them to prevent infections. There are various types of blood groups and they include A, B, AB, and O and each has antigen A, B, AB, and O respectively.
Fibrinogen
Fibrinogens are protein in nature and are produced in the liver to ensure blood clots stop bleeding. Fibrinogen is converted into fibrin by thrombin to ensure blood clots and stop damaged tissues from bleeding. Fibrinogen is soluble and that is why it is easily carried in blood plasma and reacts very fast to stop bleeding. People should have an average of 1.5-3 g/L levels of fibrinogen in their plasma and this can be tested in laboratories (Ducrocq, et al. 2013). Lack of fibrinogen in blood plasma leads to excess bleeding when tissues are damaged and this can cause anemia and other health complications.
Hemoglobin
Blood plays an important role in metabolism because it ensures oxygen is transported from the lungs to various parts of the body. Hemoglobin is a protein in nature and gives blood its red color because of the presence of iron that contains metalloprotein. Research shows that hemoglobin plays important role in transporting gases like carbon dioxide and nitric oxide produced during metabolism (Brader 2013, p 71). Hemoglobin deficiency leads to decreased blood oxygen-carrying capacity and anemia, which can be alleviated by blood transfusion and proper diets.
Neutrophils
These are white blood cells that are most abundant in the human body because they constitute 40-75%. In addition, they play important roles in promoting the immune system of the human body to ensure people are healthy. Neutrophils are formed in the bone marrow and this takes place frequently because these cells have a very short lifespan (Murguía-Romero, et al. 2013). They are phagocytes that engulf foreign substances in the human body to ensure they expel or kill pathogens. In addition, they activate other body defense mechanisms to ensure people are protected from infections.
Serum
This is a blood component that does not contain any blood cells (red and white), fibrinogens, and clotting factors. Therefore, it is plasma that includes unused proteins, antigens, electrolytes, antibodies, and hormones. The serum is used in various laboratory tests to diagnose patients; moreover, it is also used to determine the blood types of individuals (Eder, et al., 2012).
Conclusion
Blood components are very important because they ensure the human body is healthy and functions properly. The absence or deficiency of any of these components (antigen, fibrinogen, hemoglobin, neutrophils, or plasma/serum) in the blood means that the body will be exposed to infections and may not function properly. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that people do what is necessary to promote their health.
References
Brader, L. (2013). Plasma Alkylresorcinols Reflect Important Whole-Grain Components of a Healthy Nordic Diet. American Society for Nutrition.
Ducrocq, G., Bhatt, DL, Labreuche, J, Corbalan, R, Porath, A, Gao, R, Panchenko, E, Liau, CS, Ikeda, Y, Goto, S, Amarenco, P, Steg, PG. (2013). Geographic Differences in Outcomes in Outpatients with Established Atherothrombotic Disease: Results from the REACH Registry. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Eder, L., Jayakar, J., Pollock, R., Pellett, F., Arane, T., Chandran, V., Rosen, C. F., Gladman, D. (2012). Extended Report:: Serum Adipokines in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis and Psoriasis Alone and Their Correlation with Disease Activity. Ann Rheum Dis doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-202325. Web.
Guallar, E. (2012). Prospective Study of Serum Adiponectin and Incident Metabolic Syndrome. The American Diabetes Association.
Murguía-Romero, M, Jiménez-Flores, JR, Sigrist-Flores, SC, Espinoza-Camacho, MA, Jiménez-Morales, M, Piña, E, Méndez-Cruz, AR, Villalobos-Molina, R, Reaven, GM. (2013). Plasma Triglyceride/HDL-Cholesterol Ratio, Insulin Resistance and Cardio Metabolic Risk in Young Adults. The Journal of Lipid Research. J Lipid Res. 54(10):2795-9. doi: 10.1194/jlr.M040584.