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Article: Blood
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- Biology
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Blood
Blood is the bodily fluid responsible for transport of materials and waste products throughout the body. It carries oxygen from and carbon dioxide to the lungs, nutrients from the digestive system or storage sites to tissues that require them, and waste products from the tissues to the liver for detoxification and to the kidneys for disposal. Blood delivers hormones to their sites of action and circulates numerous critical parts of the immune system throughout the body. Blood regulates its own
pH
, as well as that of the intercellular fluid in the body, and aids in
thermoregulation
by redistributing heat. Blood also carries the
proteins
and other factors it needs to clot, ...