Blood vs. Platelets
What is Difference between Blood and Platelets? The human body is a rather complicated device, since there are many interactions between the different systems that it has in order to make everything work correctly. Among all these systems, the circulatory system is one of the most important and studied; since it is the one in charge of regulating how the blood circulates through the body. Below this post is all about the difference between blood and platelets.
Difference between Blood and Platelets
Thanks to the circulatory system, the blood that is pumped through all parts of the body. An average adult should about 7% of his total weight to the amount of blood inside (about 5 liters).
When we talk about blood, it is common that we also mention the parts that compose it; but when we do laboratory tests commonly give more attention to one of those parts: platelets. If you want some more information about the difference between blood and platelets, continue reading, because then we explain it to you.
Blood
Blood has a wide variety of functions in our body, among which are the transport of oxygen, nutrients and carbon dioxide and other wastes from the cells. Also, the blood helps to regulate the temperature, the Ph and maintain the balance of water in the body.
The three most important types of cells in the blood are: white blood cells or leukocytes, red blood cells or erythrocytes and platelets. The former are responsible for the defense of the body, i.e., make up the immune system; the second transport oxygen from the lungs to the cells and the third ones are responsible for helping the blood to properly clot and stop bleeding.
Platelets
When a person is cut it is normal to start bleeding, depending on the type of wound bleeding may be slight or too much; however, after bleeding to; unless the person bleeds to death. The fact is that bleeding stops due to the work of platelets (as mentioned above).
The platelets cause the blood to clot in the part where the wound was made and in this way is how the bleeding stops. They change their shape, ignite receivers and secrete chemical messengers that allow them to connect with each other.
Although platelets are cells, they have no nucleus and, like all other blood cells, they are produced in the spinal cord. Only mammals have platelets in the blood and this is believed to be a mechanism of evolution to reduce the risk of mammals dying from bleeding that are common at the time of delivery.
