Crucial
Functions of Blood
Blood is a liquid that is created to give our bodies life. As long as it
circulates within the body, it warms, cools, feeds and protects by cleansing the
body of toxic substances. It is almost solely responsible for communication
within our bodies. In addition, it immediately repairs any fractures in the
walls of veins and so the system is rejuvenated.
On
average, there are 1.32 gallons (5 litres) of blood in the body of a human
weighing 132 pounds (60 kilograms). The heart can make this amount of blood
circulate in the body easily within a minute. However, while running or
exercising, this rate of circulation can increase to five times as high. Blood
flows everywhere: from the roots of the hair to the toes, inside veins of
varying sizes. The veins have been created of such a flawless structure that no
clogging or sediments are formed. A variety of nutrients and heat are carried
through this complex system.
Oxygen
Carrier
The
air that we breathe is the most crucial substance for our survival. The oxygen
is as necessary for the cells' burning of sugars in energy production as it is
for setting a log on fire. This is why oxygen has to be carried from the lungs
to the cells. The blood circulatory system, resembling a complicated network of
pipelines, serves this very purpose.
Hemoglobin
molecules inside the red blood cells carry the oxygen. Each one of the
disk-shaped red blood cells carries about three hundred million hemoglobin
molecules. The red blood cells display a flawless working order. They not only
carry the oxygen, but also release it wherever it is necessary, e.g. in a
working muscle cell. Red blood cells deliver oxygen to tissues and carry the
carbon dioxide that is produced after the burning of sugar back to the lungs and
then leave it there. Following this, they again bind to oxygen and take it to
the tissues.
A
Pressure Balanced Fluid
Hemoglobin
molecules also carry nitrogen monoxide (NO) gas in addition to oxygen. If this
gas were not present in blood, its pressure would change constantly. Hemoglobin
also regulates the amount of oxygen to be delivered to tissues by means of
nitrogen monoxide. Amazingly, the source of this 'regulation" is nothing
but a molecule, i.e. a mere collection of atoms that does not have a brain, eyes
or conscious mind. Regulation of our bodies by a collection of atoms, of course,
is a sign of the infinite wisdom of Allah Who created our bodies without flaws.
Cells
of Ideal Design
Red blood cells make up the majority of all blood cells. An adult male’s blood
contains thirty billion red cells, which would be enough to cover almost half
the surface of a soccer field. These cells give colour to our blood and
therefore to our skin.
Red
cells look like discs. Due to their incredible flexibility, they can squeeze
through capillaries and the minutest holes. If they were not so flexible, they
would surely be stuck in various areas of the body. A capillary is normally four
to five micrometres in diametre, whereas a red cell is about 7.5 micrometres
(one micrometre is one thousandth of a millimetre, which is 0.000039 inch).
What
would happen if red cells were not created with such flexibility? The
researchers of diabetes gave some answers to this question. In diabetic
patients, red blood cells loose their flexibility. This situation frequently
gives way to clogging with inflexible red blood cells in the delicate tissues of
the patients' eyes, which can lead to blindness.
Automatic
Emergency System
The
lifespan of a red blood cell is about 120 days after which they are removed by
the spleen. This loss is balanced by the continuous production of new cells.
Under normal conditions, 2.5 million red blood cells are generated per second, a
number which can be increased if necessary. A hormone called 'erythropoietin"
regulates the rate of generation. For example, as a result of heavy bleeding due
to accident or nose bleeds, the loss is immediately balanced. In addition, the
rate of generation is increased if the oxygen content of the air is reduced. For
instance, while climbing at very high altitudes, due to the continuously
declining oxygen content, the body automatically takes this action in order to
make the most efficient use of the oxygen available.
Perfect
Transportation System
The
fluid portion of blood called plasma carries numerous other substances present
in the body apart from just blood cells. Plasma is a clear yellowish fluid,
which comprises 5% of the normal body weight. In this fluid, 90% of which is
water, salts, minerals, carbo-hydrates, fats and hundreds of different types of
proteins are suspended. Some of the proteins in the blood are transport
proteins, which bind lipids and carry them to tissues. If the proteins did not
in this way carry the lipids, the lipids would randomly float anywhere, giving
way to fatal health problems.
Hormones
in the plasma take on the role of special couriers. They facilitate
communication between organs and cells by means of chemical messages.
Albumin
is the most populous hormone in the plasma, which is in a sense a transporter.
It binds lipids such as cholesterol, hormones, bilirubin, a toxic yellow bile
pigment, or medicines like penicillin. It leaves the poisonous substances in the
liver and takes other nutrients and hormones to wherever they are needed.
When
all these things are considered, it becomes clear that the body is created in an
extremely detailed way. The abilities of a single protein to distinguish between
lipid, hormone and medicine, and to determine not only the locations in need of
them but also the amounts to be delivered, are all indications of flawless
design. Furthermore, these surprising examples are only a few out of tens of
thousands of different biochemical events taking place in a body. All of the
trillions of molecules in the body work in a marvelous harmony. And, in fact,
all of these molecules spring from the division of a single cell that forms in
the womb of a mother. It is clear that this miraculous system of the human body
is a wonderful artistry of Allah, Who created man from a single drop of water.
Special
Control Mechanisms
Nutrients have to cross from the arteries through the artery wall, in order to
penetrate into the necessary tissues. Although the artery wall has very small
pores, no substance can penetrate it by itself. It is the blood pressure that
facilitates this penetration. However, nutrients crossing over into the tissues
in larger quantities than necessary result in inflammation of the tissues.
Therefore, there is a special mechanism instituted for balancing blood pressure
and withdrawing fluid back to the blood. This is the responsibility of albumin,
which is larger than the pores in the artery wall and numerous enough in the
blood to suck up the water like a sponge. If there were no albumin in the body,
it would swell like a dry bean left in water.
On
the contrary, materials in the blood should not enter the tissues of the brain
uncontrolled, since unwanted substances can severely damage nerve cells
(neurons). Therefore, the brain is protected against all possible scenarios of
harm. Dense cell layers close off pores. All substances are required to pass
through these layers as if passing through a security checkpoint, which
facilitates a balanced flow of nutrients into the most sensitive organ of the
whole body.
Thermostat
in the Body
Apart
from toxins, red blood cells, vitamins and other substances, blood also carries
heat, a by-product of energy generation in the cells. Distributing and balancing
body heat in accordance with the outside temperature is vitally important. If
there were no heat distribution system in our bodies, our arms would overheat
and the rest of the body would be cool when the arm muscles are used, which
would greatly damage the metabolism. This is why heat is evenly distributed
throughout the body, which is facilitated solely by the circulatory system.
In
decreasing the body-heat that is distributed all over the body, the perspiration
system is activated. In addition, blood vessels enlarge under the skin, enabling
excess heat in the blood to be transmitted to the outside air. This is why when
we run or do other high-energy activities, our faces become red.
Blood
circulation is as responsible for preservation of the body heat as it is for
cooling. In colder temperatures, the blood vessels under our skin shrink, which
serves to reduce the amount of blood in the area where heat escape is most
probable and hence keeps cooling to a minimum. The reason for a person's face
turning white when cold is the precaution that the body automatically takes (R.
Von Bredow, Geo, November 1997).
Everything
taking place in the blood is extremely complicated and intertwined. Everything
has been created flawlessly down to the smallest detail. In fact, there is such
a wonderfully intricate balance in the bloodstream that the smallest breakdown
could potentially cause very serious complications. Blood has been created with
all its necessary properties by the One Creator in a moment. This Creator, the
owner of superior knowledge and power, is Allah:
“Your
god is Allah alone, there is no god but Him. He encompasses all things in His
knowledge.” (Surah Ta Ha:98)
The
author, who writes under the pen-name Harun Yahya, has published
many books on political, faith-related and scientific issues. Some of the books
of the author have been translated into English, German, French, Spanish,
Itallian, Portuguese, Albanian, Arabic, Polish, Russian, Bosnian, Indonesian,
Turki, Tatar, Urdu and Malay and published in the countries concerned.
www.harunyahya.com ,
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