Functions




Blood performs many important functions within the body, including:

  • Supply of oxygen to tissues (bound to hemoglobin, which is carried in red cells)
  • Supply of nutrients such as glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids (dissolved in the blood or bound to plasma proteins (e.g., blood lipids))
  • Removal of waste such as carbon dioxide, urea, and lactic acid
  • Immunological functions, including circulation of white blood cells, and detection of foreign material by antibodies
  • Coagulation, the response to a broken blood vessel, the conversion of blood from a liquid to a semisolid gel to stop bleeding
  • Messenger functions, including the transport of hormones and the signaling of tissue damage
  • Regulation of core body temperature
  • Hydraulic functions

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