Blood is a blood fluid with specific functions. Give examples of the functions of blood in the animal body and explain how the animal body defends itself by against changes H+ion concentration.
What is the reference for this statement?
For example Van Soest, P.J. (1967). Development of a comprehensive system of feed......
Blood is a vital fluid in all higher animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Here are several examples of the functions blood serves within an animal's body:
1. Transport of gases: Blood is responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and removing carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs for exhalation.
2. Nutrient transport: Blood delivers nutrients, such as glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids, absorbed from the digestion of food to the cells of the body, where they are utilized for energy, growth, and repair.
3. Waste removal: Metabolic wastes, such as urea and creatinine, are transported by blood to the kidneys for excretion.
4. Immune function: Blood contains white blood cells and antibodies that help defend the body against infection and foreign substances.
5. Regulation of body temperature: Blood helps in the distribution of heat generated in the muscles and other body parts, thus maintaining the body's temperature.
6. Hormone distribution: Blood transports hormones from the endocrine glands to target organs, where they exert their specific effects.
7. Coagulation: Blood contains platelets and clotting factors that help to prevent excessive bleeding by forming clots in response to vascular injury.
Regarding the regulation of H+ ion concentration, the animal body possesses several mechanisms to defend against changes in pH, thus maintaining homeostasis:
1. Buffer systems: These are the first line of defense against pH changes. Buffers are molecules that can absorb or donate H+ ions. For example, the bicarbonate buffer system in blood can neutralize acidic or basic changes by forming carbonic acid or bicarbonate as necessary.
2. Respiratory regulation: The respiratory system can increase the rate of breathing to expel more carbon dioxide (which forms carbonic acid in the blood) when the blood becomes too acidic. Conversely, it can slow breathing when the blood becomes too basic, retaining more carbon dioxide.
3. Renal regulation: The kidneys help maintain pH balance by excreting H+ ions in the urine and reabsorbing bicarbonate from the urine. They can also produce new bicarbonate ions for release into the blood.
The information provided here is general scientific knowledge and can be found in various physiology textbooks and scientific articles. A specific reference containing a comprehensive discussion on animal nutrition, as hinted by your example "Van Soest, P.J. (1967). Development of a comprehensive system of feed analyses..." is:
"Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology" by John E. Hall, which covers the human body and includes relevant parallels that are applicable to animal physiology.
However, if you are seeking a citation regarding the specific statement on the functions of blood and its defense against changes in H+ ion concentration, it's important to consult a current textbook on animal physiology or veterinary medicine for the most accurate and up-to-date information. A widely recognized reference for animal physiology is:
"Textbook of Veterinary Physiology" by James G. Cunningham and Bradley G. Klein.
Please note that the references provided are examples of the type of sources where this knowledge can be found and are not specific to any one statement. Be sure to consult the latest editions of these textbooks for the most current information.