What it means
The formed parts of blood, all made in the bone marrowbone MAIR-ohThe soft, spongy tissue inside bones that makes blood cells.Full entry . red blood cellred blud selA blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues; also called an erythrocyte.Full entry carry oxygen on hemoglobinHEE-muh-gloh-binThe iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, and the blood test that measures it.hem/o bloodglobin proteinFull entry . White blood cells (leukocytes) fight infection. plateletPLAYT-litA tiny cell fragment in the blood that sticks together at a wound to help form a clot.Full entry are cell pieces that help blood clot. A complete blood count (CBC) measures all three.
For the nurse
Low red cells (anemia) cause tiredness and shortness of breath; low white cells raise infection risk; low platelets raise bleeding risk. Check the CBC before chemotherapy and procedures.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | RBC (red blood cell); WBC (white blood cell); CBC (complete blood count) |
|---|---|
| Spanish | célula sanguínea |
| Also written | blood cells, blood-cell |
Related terms
platelet
A tiny cell fragment in the blood that sticks together at a wound to help form a clot.
bone marrow
The soft, spongy tissue inside bones that makes blood cells.
red blood cell
A blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues; also called an erythrocyte.
leuk/o
A word part that means white.
-cyte
A word ending that means cell.