Final answer:
Blood is essential for transporting oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and waste products within the body. It is a key component of the cardiovascular system, helping to uphold homeostasis and provide support to cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The functions of blood include the transport of nutrients and waste products, serving as a medium of the cell, aiding in the dissipation of heat, and providing support around cells. Blood, as part of the circulatory system, plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis in the body. It carries oxygen, hormones, and nutrients to body cells and moves wastes and carbon dioxide away, sustaining the vast network of blood vessels in complex multicellular organisms like humans. Single-celled organisms, in contrast, do not require blood, as they directly exchange these substances with their immediate environment. The heart and blood vessels work together with blood to form the cardiovascular system, ensuring that every part of the body is nourished and that waste products are efficiently removed.
Recall that blood is considered a connective tissue. The cellular elements of blood include red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets, while the extracellular matrix is the plasma, a fluid that allows these cells to circulate. The transportation of nutrients to the liver for processing, carrying hormones to their target cells, and removing wastes like carbon dioxide and other byproducts to the organs for excretion are all crucial functions performed by blood.