The Color of blood

[Inuyasha]

Here's an interesting problem. What color is blood. I know that when it has oxgyen attached to the hemogoblin it is red but what if there is no oxygen as in a vein. Hmmm. Since veins are blue does that mean that blood without oxgyen is blue?

[Antje]

When it is in the viens it is a deeper red purple but the blue you see is the outer lining of the vein. By the way inuyasha is the best!!

[Inuyasha]

Thanks a ton Antje.

[biostudent84]

Deoxygenated blood is still dark blue, regardless of what color the blood vessels are. The carbon dioxide and other wastes that the cells turn the cells this color. Oxygentated blood essentially is Oxygen attracted to the Iron atom in the center of hemoglobin. Essentially, rust is what makes your blood cells red.

[Solid Snake]

Well, RBC are not blue. They swing between dark red and bright red depending on whether it is carrying oxygen or not. The blue color comes from looking at your deoxygenated blood through layers and layers of skin as well as the vein itself. Rust on your blood is a good way to think of it, but remember that the hemoglobin binds oxygen loosely and the strength of the binding depends on factors like temperature.

[Inuyasha]

blood is actually many colors. Depedening on different types of blood oxgyenated, deoxgyenated, cancerous, and varies from person to person.

[Solid Snake]

what color does blood become when it is cancerous?

[Cyranian]

Well, hemoglobin binds protons and CO2 to cause a conformational change in the protein and facilitates the release of oxygen. When the CO2 levels in the blood decrease ), carbon dioxide is released, increasing the oxygen affinity of the protein. So I'd think that blood during the disease of sickle cell anemia would be dark red because of the significance presence of O2.

[Solid Snake]

But the problem with sickle cell anemia is that it is less flexible than a normal RBC it is also unable to hold as much oxygen as normal cells

[Inuyasha]

Hey there is actually a kid in my high school who beleives he's a vampire. He say's the color of blood without oxygen is the same color for everybody. But i think that different people have different shades of color in blood. Who is right?

[Solid Snake]

I think there will even be differences in the color of cells of a single persons blood it all depends on the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in blood

[Inuyasha]

Sounds about right Raj but i really wonder... Do you have any websites or proof to back up what your are saying?