In vertebrates, blood is composed of cells suspended in plasma. It is a fluid that contains oxygen and nutrients that the body needs. It also carries the wastes products that need to be removed from the body. The blood delivers immune cells to fight infections and contains platelets that can form a “plug” in a damaged blood vessel to prevent blood loss.

All of the cells found in the blood originate from bone marrow. They begin their life as stem cells, and then mature into three main types of cells:

• Erythrocytes – also known as Red Blood Cells (RBCs)
• Leukocytes – also known White Blood Cells (WBCs)
• Platelets – also known as thrombocytes

RBCs are the most abundant of the three cell types. They contain hemoglobin which binds to oxygen to transport it throughout the body.

WBCs are part of the immune system, and they protect the body from infections. A high WBC count is often indicative of disease, as the cells multiply to mount an attack on the foreign invaders.

Platelets function to stop excessive bleeding from injuries by clumping at the lesion site.

Hematology is the study of the blood, which focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases related to the blood. Hematology includes the areas of hematopoiesis, stem cell biology, stem cell transplantation, thrombosis, and hemostasis.

Hematology requires a great diversity of life science products. We are dedicated to developing cutting edge research products to aid in the study of blood, including monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, antibody conjugates, proteins, immunoassays, and small molecule inhibitors.

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