About 55 percent of the blood is composed of a liquid known as plasma. The rest of the blood is made of three major types of cells: red blood cells (also known as erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes).
In an average healthy person, approximately 45 percent of the blood volume is cells, among them red cells (the majority), white cells, and platelets. A clear, yellowish fluid called plasma makes up the rest of blood. Plasma, 95 percent of which is water, also contains nutrients such as glucose, fats, proteins, and the amino acids needed for protein synthesis, vitamins, and minerals. The level of salt in plasma is about equal to that of sea water. The test tube on the right has been centrifuged to separate plasma and packed cells by density.
World Health Organization
Blood Clot in the Legs
Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) refers to a blood clot embedded in one of the major deep veins of the lower legs, thighs, or pelvis. A clot blocks blood circulation through these veins, which carry blood from the lower body back to the heart. The blockage can cause pain, swelling, or warmth in the affected leg.
A blood culture is done when a person has symptoms of a blood infection, also called bacteremia. Blood is drawn from the person one or more times and is tested in a laboratory to find and identify any microorganism present and growing in the blood. If a microorganism is found,...
