Blood

A Romulan with blood on his face.

Nanoprobes assimilating blood cells.

A sample of Bolian blood.

Blood is the circulatory fluid that runs through most corporeal lifeforms in the universe. Its primary function is to carry nutrients and respiratory gases to cells and to remove waste products. Blood transfusions can only be undertaken between individuals with the same blood composition.

Blood can be based on many types of elements or compounds. Its color is based on the metal-protein complex of the component cells responsible for respiratory delivery:

• red (iron-based) — Human, Talaxian, Hirogen, Ferengi, Serosian, Mari, most humanoids
• reddish-green (iron-copper composite based) — Acamarian
• green (copper-based) — Vulcan, Romulan
• blue — Andorian, Bolian
• pink — Klingon (in some cases)
• yellow — Void alien (Fantome's people), Species 8472
• brown - Cardassian
• white - Tamarian

It is not known what color blood Gosis' people have, only that it is not red. (ENT: "The Communicator")

In 2267, Rigelian scientists developed a drug that could accelerate the reproduction of blood. (TOS: "Journey to Babel")

The Klingon spy J'Dan found a way to smuggle stolen information, encoded in amino acid sequences, in the bloodstream of an unknowing third person. (TNG: "The Drumhead")

When experimenting on crewmembers of the USS Enterprise-D, solanagen-based lifeforms slowly turned Lieutenant Edward Hagler's blood into a liquid polymer, thereby killing the officer. (TNG: "Schisms")

Some species do not have blood at all, like the humanoid Breen. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow")

Klingons swear blood oaths as a promise of vengeance, and santify various alliances and vows by the shedding or mixing of blood. (DS9: "Blood Oath")

Bolians have a blood chemistry very different from that of other species, especially Vulcans. If a blood transfusion is given from a Vulcan to a Bolian it would result in the death of the Bolian. There have been instances, however, when artificial blood was unavailable and existing blood cells were genetically altered for inter-species transfusions to be successful. (VOY: "Prototype")

T'Pol has Vulcan K cells in her blood. These cells stopped her from being infected with a mutagenic virus on the Loque'eque homeworld in 2153 (ENT: "Extinction")

Both Spock and Sarek have type T-negative blood, which is a rare Vulcan type. (TOS: "Journey to Babel")

Julian Bashir has type B-negative blood. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow")

Odo had type O-negative when he was a humanoid for a short time (DS9: "Broken Link")

It was Solbor's blood that revealed the text of the Book of the Kosst Amojan. (DS9: "The Changing Face of Evil")

Background Information

In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Klingon blood is pink, and in TNG and DS9 it is red. The supposed reason for this is that having floating red blood all over the ship was considered too violent, and would have given the movie a more extreme rating than would be appropriate for the target audience. Pink blood makes it obvious at a glance that the violence is simulated, not real. The change in blood may have been another side effect of the Klingon augment virus.

Apocrypha

Several non-canon sources have suggested what the bases of blue-blooded aliens blood is, some examples being Silicon and Cobalt.

See also

• Anticoagulant
• Blood bank
• Blood screening
• Blood soup
• Blood type
• Bloodwine
• Erythrocyte
• Leukocyte
• Lymphocyte
• Pyrocyte