Matching Blood Components to Their Functions

Steps:

• Identify plasma as the liquid matrix that transports nutrients, hormones, and waste.
• Recognize platelets as cell fragments essential for blood clotting to prevent bleeding.
• Recall white blood cells (leukocytes) as key players in immune defense, including antibody production.
• Compare options to find the match: plasma for transport, platelets for clotting, white blood cells for antibodies.

Why D is correct:

• Plasma carries nutrients via dissolved proteins and water (basic blood physiology definition); platelets form clots through aggregation (hemostasis process); white blood cells, especially lymphocytes, produce antibodies for immunity (immune response mechanism).

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Plasma does not form antibodies (white blood cells do); white blood cells do not transport nutrients (plasma does).
• B: Plasma does not clot (platelets do); platelets do not transport nutrients (plasma does).
• C: Platelets do not form antibodies (white blood cells do); white blood cells do not transport nutrients (plasma does).

Final answer: D