Types of blood cells🩸| Red blood cells, White blood cells & Platelets | Meaning, function & examples

Añadido: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]To access free topic sheets, worksheets, or to book an online class, visit ilearneasy.co.uk.

[00:00:10]Types of blood cells.

[00:00:12]Cells are the basic building blocks of living things. Every part of your body, the skin, muscles, organs, and blood is made of cells.

[00:00:24]Cells are microscopic structures that carry out life processes, for example, getting energy, removing waste, and responding to the environment.

[00:00:36]Cells also specialize to do different jobs.

[00:00:40]This is called cell differentiation.

[00:00:43]So, in your blood, instead of all cells doing the same thing, they're specialized into different types with different roles.

[00:00:53]Blood contains three main cell types: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, also known as cell fragments.

[00:01:05]Red blood cells.

[00:01:07]Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body.

[00:01:14]They contain hemoglobin. This is what gives the blood its red color.

[00:01:21]Red blood cells have a biconcave shape.

[00:01:25]They have no nucleus.

[00:01:27]They have a flexible shape, and they are made in the bone marrow.

[00:01:33]The importance of hemoglobin is it's a protein that binds to oxygen. Oxygen attaches to hemoglobin in the lungs and is released in tissues.

[00:01:45]This way, it helps red blood cells to carry oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body.

[00:01:53]Its biconcave shape essentially means it's a donut-like shape, but without the hole.

[00:01:59]This increases the surface area, so oxygen can be absorbed and released faster.

[00:02:06]Red blood cells have no nucleus.

[00:02:09]This is important because it creates more space for hemoglobin, so that the red blood cells can carry more oxygen throughout the body.

[00:02:18]Red blood cells' flexible shape helps them to squeeze through tiny capillaries.

[00:02:24]Lastly, we know that red cells are made in the bone marrow.

[00:02:28]This is inside certain bones like ribs and femur.

[00:02:33]You can remember this as red blood cells, which begins with the letter R, stands for respiration.

[00:02:41]White blood cells. White blood cells protect the body from infections by attacking pathogens.

[00:02:49]This includes bacteria, viruses, etc. There are different types of white blood cells, including lymphocytes and phagocytes.

[00:03:01]White blood cells have a nucleus, and they are larger than red blood cells.

[00:03:07]White blood cells can change shape, and they're made in the bone marrow and lymph nodes.

[00:03:14]An easy way to remember this is that white blood cells, which begins with the letter W, are warriors.

[00:03:21]So, the white blood cells are warriors that fight against infections.

[00:03:27]White blood cells are part of the immune system.

[00:03:31]This means that they can recognize and destroy harmful organisms.

[00:03:37]Different types of white blood cells can exist. For example, phagocytes.

[00:03:42]Phagocytes work to engulf and digest pathogens, like eating them.

[00:03:48]Lymphocytes produce antibodies that target specific germs.

[00:03:54]So, the different types of white blood cells work differently in order to reach the same result, which would be to destroy harmful organisms.

[00:04:04]White blood cells have a nucleus.

[00:04:06]This is important because, unlike red blood cells, they need genetic material to control immune responses.

[00:04:14]White blood cells can change shape. This helps them to squeeze out of blood vessels into infected tissues.

[00:04:23]Platelets.

[00:04:25]Platelets help to blood clot and stop bleeding when you get injured.

[00:04:30]They are tiny cell fragments.

[00:04:33]Platelets are not full cells. This is why we call them cell fragments.

[00:04:39]They stick to damaged blood vessels.

[00:04:42]So, when you get injured, for example, if you fall and you have a cut on your arm, the platelets gather at that cut and form a clot. This is a scab.

[00:04:55]The reason for this is to prevent blood loss.

[00:05:00]So, platelets essentially plug leaks.

[00:05:04]So, instead of the blood leaking out from you if you have an injury, the platelets help to form a scab, which prevents excess blood loss.

[00:05:15]Platelets are not full cells.

[00:05:19]This is because they are tiny fragments of larger cells made in the bone marrow.

[00:05:26]The way platelets work is very smart.

[00:05:29]When you cut yourself, platelets rush to the wound.

[00:05:34]They stick to damaged blood vessels.

[00:05:37]They then clump together and trigger a chain reaction that forms a mesh of fibrin, sealing the wound.

[00:05:44]This is where the clot forms.

[00:05:47]And we see that as a scab formation on the skin.

[00:05:51]This is very, very important because without platelets, even small cuts would bleed heavily.

[00:05:58]And that can lead to death.

[00:06:01]So, platelets are vital in preventing blood loss.

[00:06:06]So, in summary, red blood cells deliver oxygen, white blood cells defend against diseases and infections, and platelets help to repair damage and stop excess blood loss, which helps to keep you alive every second.

[00:06:24]All three of these blood cells are specialized to do their own jobs.

[00:08:07]>> Mhm.