2h Transport Flashcards
What are the main functions of the blood?
1) Transports oxygen and nutrients around the body eg. amino acids
2) Distributes heat energy around the body
3) Part of the immune system to defend against disease
4) To seal cuts to protect against infection
What are the 4 components of the blood?
red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma
What is plasma?
Plasma is the straw coloured liquid part of the blood which carries cells and dissolved substances and also helps distribute heat energy
What substances does plasma transports?
ATP
Oxygen
Water
CO2
Hormones
Platelets
Red blood cells
White blood cells
Waste eg. urea
Nutrients eg. amino acids and glucose
Where is food (glucose, amino acids) carried from and carried into the blood to?
Carried from villi (small intestine)
Carried in the blood to all parts of the body
Where is water carried from and carried into the blood to?
Carried from large intestine
Carried in the blood all around the body
Where is oxygen carried from and carried into the blood to?
Carried from the lungs (alveoli)
Carried in the blood all around the body
Where is carbon dioxide carried from and carried into the blood to?
Carried from all parts of the body
Carried in the blood to the lungs (alveoli)
Where is urea (waste) carried from and carried into the blood to?
Carried from the liver
Carried in the blood to the kidneys
Where is kidneys carried from and carried into the blood to?
Carried from the glands
Carried in the blood all around the body to the different target organs affected by the different organs
Where does blood plasma transport heat away from?
Blood plasma transports heat away from cells that are respiring rapidly, such as exercising muscle cells, and prevents then from overheating.
Where does blood plasma transport heat to?
Blood plasma transports heat to the environment by increasing the diameter of blood vessels in the skin where respiration takes place slowly
What is the core temperature?
The internal temperature of the body, about 37C, necessary for life processes to go on effectively
What percentage of plasma, white blood cells and red blood cells are in the body?
Plasma - 55%
Red Blood Cells - 45%
White Blood Cells - >1%
What are the adaptations of Red Blood Cells?
- A biconcave disc that is round and flat (increases their surface area)
- Contain hemoglobin, a molecule specially designed to hold oxygen and carry it to cells that need it
- They have no nucleus (more room for hemoglobin)
- Can change shape to an amazing extent, without breaking, as it squeezes single file through the capillaries
Where can more red blood cells be made?
In the bone marrow
What are white blood cells?
White blood cells are part of the immune system. Their role is to defend the body against disease. They respond to infection by attempting to kill the pathogen that has entered the body.
What are the groups of white blood cells?
There are different groups of white blood cells that each have a different role:
- Phagocytes
- Lymphocytes
- Memory Cells (a type of lymphocyte)
eg. HIV causes AIDS
Influenza causes the flu
Plasmodium causes malaria
Fungus causes Athlete’s foot
Salmonella causes food poisoning
What is a pathogen?
A disease causing microorganism
What is a phagocyte and what does it do?
Several types of white blood cells belong to this group, but they kill all pathogens by ingesting them. They engulf pathogens by flowing around them until they are completely enclosed, and then digest them. Different types of phagocytes target different pathogens such as bacteria, fungi and protoctist parasites
What are lymphocytes and what do they do?
This type of white blood cell has a very large nucleus and is responsible for producing chemicals called antibodies. When a pathogen infects the body, lymphocytes produce antibodies that specifically match that pathogen. the antibodies attach to the pathogen and either attract phagocytes to engulf the pathogen or cause the pathogen to break open and die
What are memory cells?
- Lymphocytes also make memory cells
- These cells remain in the blood long after the pathogen has been destroyed
- If the body is infected by the same pathogen again they recognise it and respond much faster an din higher quantities
How does immunisation (vaccination) work?
Immunisation provides natural immunity from a disease, without you being infected and becoming ill
Why can’t we produce a vaccination for the common cold?
Because the common cold mutates so there are different variations of the virus