Final answer:
The six critical functions of blood are transportation, defense, distribution of heat, maintenance of homeostasis, supporting growth, and protective role.
Step-by-step explanation:
The six critical functions of blood are:
- Transportation: Blood delivers oxygen and nutrients to body cells and removes waste products.
- Defense: Blood carries white blood cells to fight infections and clotting factors to prevent excessive bleeding.
- Distribution of heat: Blood helps regulate body temperature by controlling blood flow to the surface.
- Maintenance of homeostasis: Blood stabilizes pH, temperature, and osmotic pressure to maintain a balanced internal environment.
- Supporting growth: Blood distributes nutrients and hormones to support growth.
- Protective role: Blood transports platelets and clotting factors to prevent blood loss and delivers white blood cells to sites of infection.