Transport in Mammals: The Need For A Transport System

Transport In Mammals
The Need for a Transport System
Multi cellular Animals like Tigers , Elephants , alligators and sharks all have transport systems in their
bodies. While single-celled organisms like bacteria , plankton and viruses don’t. Micro organisms can
easily obtain food substances from the outside environment by diffusion and the food can reach every
single part of their body easily. In multi cellular organisms this is not possible as they have billions of
cells many of which are situated in the centre. It simply takes too much time to directly obtain food
substances from the external environment and reach all parts of the body.
Blood
In mammals and most other vertebrates , the transport system consists of a system of tubes containing
a fluid tissue known as bools. The reason why blood is called a fluid tussue is because it consists of a
liquid containing cells.
(i) Plasma – Plasma is a yellow coloured liquid which constitutes the “fluid’ part of blood.
Plasma is made up of mostly water containing dissolved salts and proteins , hormones , food
substances , waste products , carbon dioxide in the form of bicarbonate ions etc.
(ii) Red blood cells or erythrocytes- These are disc shaped red cells with a thin central portion
and a thicker outer region. Red blood cells also do not posess a nucleus. The main function
of red blood cells is to carry oxygen. Red blood cells contain a compound of iron known as
haemoglobin which is very willing to bond with oxygen and from oxyhaemoglobin. When
blood passes through the lungs these red blood cells absorb oxygen and suplly it to the rest
of the body.
(iii) White blood cells or leucocytes- Colourless cells with an irregular shape. White blood cells
do posess a nucleus and are greatly smaller in number compared to red blood cells. There
are two types of white blood cells- lymphocytes and phagocytes.
Lymphocytes round shaped cells produced by lymph cells. They have a very large nucleus
and posess a non-granular cytoplasm.
Phagocytes are white blood cells whose job is to fight against foreign particles. They do this
by engulfing the enemy particle into their cytoplasm. This process is known as phagocytosis.
There are two types of phagocytes – monocytes and polymorphs. Monocytes have a bean
shaped nucleus and a clear cytoplasm while polymorphs have a 3-lobed nucleus with a
granular cytoplasm.
Functions of Blood
Transport function of blood. Blood transports the following materials-
 Food substances from the intestines to the body cells which require them
 Oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the cells in the body
 Hormones from the glands which excrete them to the tussues which require them.
 Waste products from the body cells to the respective excretory organs. Crabon
dioxide is taken from the cells to the lungs. Bile, toxic substances, creatinine etc is
taken to the kidney.
Food substances, excretory products and hormones are carried in the blood plasma.
Oxygen is carried in red blood cells in the form of oxyhaemoglobin
Protective Functions of blood
(i)Phagocytosis
Phagocytes engulf foreign particles including bacteria and potential disease causing organisms. Thus,
white blood cells are a vital part of the immune systems in mammals.
(ii)Antibodies
When disease causing organisms enter the body they produce poisonous chemicals called toxins. This
induces the blood to release substances called anti toxins which act as antibodies and neutralizes the
toxins. Antibodies cause the foreign particles to clump together so they can be engulfed by the
phagocytes. This process is known as agglutination
(iii)Blood clotting
When an animal is injured and its skin tissue is damaged blood leaks through the opening in the skin
tissue. This blood soon solidifies and closes up the tear in the skin preventing further blood loss and the
entry of harmful foreign particles. This process is known as blood clotting.
Blood exposed to air induces the damaged tissues to release an enzyme called thrombkinase. This
enzyme converts a protein called prothrombin to thrombin Thrombin is also an enzyme which in the
presence of calcium ions converts the protein fibrinogen to fibrin which act as threads gluing the blood
together.

Transport in Mammals: The Need For A Transport System

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Transport in Mammals: The Need For A Transport System

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Transport in Mammals: The Need For A Transport System

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Transport In Mammals

The Need for a Transport System

Transport function of blood. Blood transports the following materials-

Protective Functions of blood

You might also like