What is blood?
Blood is essential to life. Blood circulates through our body and delivers essential substances like oxygen and
nutrients to the body's cells. It also transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. There is
no substitute for blood. It cannot be made or manufactured. There are four main components of blood: Red Blood
Cells, Platelets, Plasma, and White Blood Cells.
What is hemoglobin?
Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. It is the most important component of red blood
cells and is composed of a protein called heme, which binds
oxygen. (In the lungs, oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide). Abnormalities of an individual's hemoglobin
value can indicate defects in the normal balance between red blood
cell production and destruction. Both low and high values can indicate disease states.
Why is it important?
Blood is important because without it, the body's organs couldn't get the oxygen and nutrients they need to
survive,
we couldn't keep warm or cool off, fight infections, or get rid of our own waste products. Having low levels of
hemoglobin and red blood cells can lead to indication of cancers like leukemia or lymphoma.
Why do I care?
I care about blood and if find hemoglobin interesting because of their function to the human body and what
happens
when there is not enough. I am interested in research and figuring out a way to help people that are on the side
of
health where their blood count and hemoglobin levels are low. I am studying bioengineering at my school and I am
on
the pre med track. My goal in life is to be a hematologist/oncology and through my level
of education and research i can help people with diseases like sickle cell anemia, leukemia, and other
blood/cancer related diseases.
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