Question
Question: What happens when there are less WBC, RBC and platelets?...
What happens when there are less WBC, RBC and platelets?
Solution
The human blood is made up of plasma and the cellular part. RBC, WBC and platelets are the important cells that are present in the blood. The RBC is the transporter, WBC are the immune cells and platelets help in coagulation of blood.
Complete answer:
The blood is the fluid of connective tissue. It is made up of plasma or the liquid part and the cellular part comprises RBC, WBC and platelets. The RBC or the red blood cell contains the pigment haemoglobin which helps in transporting oxygen to all parts of the body. WBC are the phagocytic cells which prevent the body from diseases. They also produce antibodies. The platelets help in the coagulation of blood.
The increase or decrease in the count of these cells results in various complications and disorders.
RBC- The normal count of RBC is 4 to 6 million cells per microlitre of blood. The RBC count decreases with age. If a person has low RBC count, then it leads to a disease called anaemia. The complications include breathlessness, fatigue and weakness.
WBC- If a person has low WBC count, the person is more susceptible to infections as the capacity to fight against infections reduces. This condition is known as leucopenia.
Platelets- The normal healthy platelet count is 150000 to 400000 cells per ml of blood. The decrease in platelet count results in thrombocytopenia. The person may experience severe bleeding. The low platelets are seen in pregnancy, cancer, autoimmune diseases, certain infections like dengue etc.
So, the decrease in RBC, WRC and platelets causes anaemia, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia respectively.
Note-
The high platelet count is referred to as thrombocytosis. It is observed in patients with cancer. The RBC count can be increased by taking iron supplements and taking proper diet. Higher level of WBC indicates infection.