These B.Pharm notes on functions of blood (Chapter 14 of Human Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology I) summarise the key points for first semester pharmacy students and link to the complete PDF.
Table of Contents
Read the following document for full information
Chapter overview
Body fluids are divided into intracellular and extracellular compartments, and the extracellular fluid includes plasma and interstitial fluid. Blood is a connective tissue made of plasma and formed elements: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. This chapter describes the composition of plasma, the plasma proteins albumin, globulins and fibrinogen, and the functions of blood, which include transport of gases, nutrients and hormones, defence against infection, clotting, and regulation of pH and temperature.
Key points on functions of blood
- Body fluid compartments and their composition
- Plasma composition and functions of plasma proteins
- Red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets
- Functions of blood
- Normal haematological values
Relevance to pharmacy practice
Blood is the medium that carries drugs around the body, so its composition affects pharmacokinetics. Many drugs bind to albumin, and only the unbound fraction is active. Blood counts guide dose changes for drugs that affect the bone marrow, and intravenous fluids are chosen according to which fluid compartment must be replenished. Understanding blood and body fluids is therefore essential for clinical pharmacy.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main components of blood?
Plasma and the formed elements: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Which plasma protein is most abundant?
Albumin, which maintains osmotic pressure and carries many drugs and hormones.
What are the functions of blood?
Transport, protection against infection, clotting, and regulation of body temperature and pH.
Quick revision checklist
Before moving on, check that you can do each of the following without looking at your notes. Use this list on functions of blood as a self-test: tick a statement only when you can answer it aloud. Revisit any statement you cannot answer, then re-read the matching section of the PDF. Repeating this cycle two or three times before an exam builds the recall and confidence you need for both theory papers and viva.
- I can explain: body fluid compartments and their composition
- I can explain: plasma composition and functions of plasma proteins
- I can explain: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets
- I can explain: functions of blood
- I can explain: normal haematological values
Study and exam tips
Read the key points on functions of blood first, then study the PDF notes and redraw the main diagrams from memory. Link each concept to a drug or clinical example, and revisit the chapter before your internal and university examinations. Short daily revision works better than one long session. For additional reading, see the NCBI Bookshelf.
In B.Pharm examinations, short answer questions usually ask for definitions, classifications and labelled diagrams, while long answers on functions of blood ask for detailed descriptions with examples. Learn the headings in the order given in your syllabus, and add one clinical or drug-related example to each long answer to earn extra marks.
This post is part of the free B.Pharm Guru notes for the first semester. Every chapter of Human Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology I has a short summary, key points and a downloadable PDF written for the B.Pharm course, so you can revise quickly or study in depth.
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Previous chapter (Chapter 13): diseases of bones and joints. Next chapter (Chapter 15): hemopoiesis and formation of haemoglobin. View all HAP-I chapters.
