Final answer:
Following the donation of a pint of blood, Jane's body would respond by increasing her heart rate to maintain cardiac output and stabilize blood pressure.
Step-by-step explanation:
After Jane donates a pint of blood to a blood bank, there would be an immediate decrease in blood volume which, in turn, could lead to a reduction in venous return and stroke volume. The body compensates for this by increasing the heart rate to maintain cardiac output and, hence, blood pressure. Therefore, the correct answer is d. heart rate.
The human body's immediate response to blood loss includes activation of compensatory mechanisms that aim to maintain cardiac output and blood pressure. Since total blood volume has decreased, the heart compensates by increasing the heart rate. Increased heart rate is a physiological response to maintain cardiac output in the face of reduced blood volume.