B4 Blood- biology paper 1 Flashcards
What are the components of blood?
White blood cells, red blood cells, platelets and plasma.
What is the life span of a red blood cell?
3-4 months
Why do humans need transport systems?
Because we have a small surface area to volume ratio and we can’t rely on diffusion alone.
What is the plasma?
Yellowy liquid blood that transports red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets around the body.
What is the function of the plasma?
The plasma transports carbon dioxide, digested food molecules , urea and hormones around the body.
What is the function of red blood cells?
Red blood cells absorb oxygen in the lungs and release this oxygen to respiring cells.
What is the pigment inside red blood cells?
Haemoglobin.
What adaptations make red blood cells good at their job?
- They are biconcave discs. Being concave (pushed in/curved on both sides) gives them an increased surface area to volume ratio for diffusion and oxygen absorption.
- They are packed with haemoglobin, which binds to oxygen.
- They have no nucleus so that there’s room for more haemoglobin.
- They are small and flexible so that they can fit through narrow blood capillaries.
- They are thin, so there is only a short distance for the oxygen to diffuse to reach the centre of the cell.
What percentage of the blood is plasma?
Plasma makes up 55% of the blood.
What percentage of the blood is made up of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets?
45%
What is the function of white blood cells?
The white blood cells engulf and digest bacteria, make antibodies to stop bacteria and they also make antitoxins.
What are Phagocytes?
A type of white blood cell that engulf and destroy unwanted micro-organisms that enter the blood by the process of Phagocytosis. They are part of the body’s immune system.
What percentage of white blood cells are Phagocytes?
70%
What are Lymphocytes?
Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that are part of the immune system, they produce soluble proteins called antibodies when a foreign body such as a microorganism enters the body.
What percentage of white blood cells are Lymphocytes?
25%
Do platelets have a nucleus?
No
What are Platelets and what do they do?
Platelets are the remains of giant cells in the bone marrow and are involved in the blood clotting process. When the body is wounded, platelets accumulate and lead to the formation of a clot to prevent us from bleeding to death.
What is Haemophillia ?
A condition where your bloods ability to clot is severely reduced, which can cause easy bruising and bleeding to death if even mildly injured.
Which cell formed in the bone marrow are Platelets the remains of?
Platelets are the remains of the giant cell Megakaryocyte.
What are the 3 main types of blood vessels?
Arteries, veins and capillaries.
Where do arteries carry blood?
Arteries carry bright-red oxygenated blood away from our heart.
Describe an artery
- Arteries have thick muscular and elastic walls to pump and accommodate blood
- A narrow lumen
Is the blood in arteries under high or low pressure?
Under high pressure and so if the artery is cut, the blood will spurt out rapidly every time the heart beats.
Which artery is an exception and doesn’t carry oxygenated blood?
The Pulmonary artery, instead it carries de-oxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.
Where do veins carry blood?
Veins carry blood away from our organs towards the heart.
Do veins carry de-oxygenated blood?
Yes
What vein is an exception?
The Pulmonary vein is an exception and instead, it carries oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the left atrium of the heart.
What colour is the blood that veins carry?
Usually a deep, purple-red color as the blood is low in oxygen.
Do veins carry a pulse?
No, because veins are under low pressure and so you won’t be able to feel anything.
Are veins under high or low pressure?
Veins are under low pressure.
Why do veins have valves?
To prevent the back-flow of blood
Describe a vein
- Have a wide lumen
- Have thin walls, and much less muscular tissue than arteries
Why do veins have a wide lumen?
To compensate for the low pressure, slow moving blood, a wider lumen allows more space for de-oxygenated blood to travel through.
What is the role of the capillaries?
The site of the exchange of substances
How thick are the walls of the capillaries?
One cell thick
Why are the walls of capillaries one cell thick?
The thin walls enables substances , such as oxygen and glucose, to diffuse easily out of the blood and into our cells.
Substances produces in our cells, like carbon dioxide, can also pass easily into the blood through the walls of our capillaries.
Why do the capillaries have a narrow lumen?
Because capillaries are where the exchange of oxygen, nutrients and waste products occur and so the capillaries have evolved to have the greatest surface area to volume ratio.
How is oxygen exchanged across the capillaries?
Oxygen diffuses through the capillary wall, into the tissue fluid, and the cells.
How is carbon dioxide exchanged across the capillaries?
Carbon dioxide diffuses from the cells into the tissue fluid, then across the capillary walls into the blood plasma.
How is glucose exchanged across the capillaries?
Glucose diffuses from the blood plasma, across the capillary walls to the tissue fluid, and then to the cells.
How is waste product urea exchanged across the capillaries?
The waste product urea diffuses from the cells of the liver, to the tissue fluid, and then across the capillary walls into the blood plasma.
What is meant by humans having a double circulatory system?
The heart pumps the blood through 2 circuits:
- The Pulmonary circulation , which transports de oxygenated blood from our heart to the lungs and then back to the heart.
- The Systemic circulation, which transports oxygen and nutrients to the body tissues, and carries away de-oxygenated blood containing carbon dioxide and other waste materials.
Are capillaries under low or high pressure?
Low pressure
What is the wall of the heart mostly made out of?
Muscular tissue
What separates the left and right side of the heart?
A septum.
Why does the left side of the heart have thicker walls?
Because it’s put under higher pressure than the right side.
Where does blood enter the heart?
Through the top chambers, called the Atria.
What does the Pulmonary artery do?
Takes deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
What does the Vena Cava do?
Brings de-oxygenated blood into the heart.
What do the ventricles do?
The ventricles contract and force blood out of the heart.
What does the Right Ventricle do?
Forces de-oxygenated blood to the lungs through the pulmonary artery.
What does the left ventricle do?
The left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood around the body though the big artery called the aorta.
What does the pulmonary vein do?
The pulmonary vein brings oxygenated blood from the lungs.
What does the Aorta do?
The Aorta carries oxygenated blood around the body.
How many chambers does the heart have?
Four : the right ventricle, the left ventricle, the right atrium, the left atrium.
In simple terms, how does the circulatory system work?
De-oxygenated blood is pumped from the heart to the lungs where it then collects oxygen. Afterwards, the now oxygenated blood returns to the heart and this is then pumped around the whole body where it delivers the oxygen to the body cells.
Why do capillaries have very thin walls?
So that the diffusion path is short.
Why do veins contain valves?
Because the blood in valves is under low pressure and so the valves prevent the blood from flowing backwards.
What happens when blood starts to flow backwards?
The valves shut to prevent back-flow.
What happens to the valves when blood is flowing in the right direction?
The valves open to allow the blood to flow through.
What happens to the coronary arteries in coronary heart disiease?
The coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become narrow
What can cause coronary heart disiese?
a diet high in saturated fat, which can lead to a build up of fatty material on the lining of the vessels.
What blocks the coronary arteries in coronary heart disiese?
A build up of fatty plaques containing cholesterol.
What happens when a coronary artery gets blocked?
The blood supply to part of the heart muscle is cut off. That part of the heart cannot continue to contract, causing a heart attack.
How can stress cause coronary heart disease?
Because it raises blood pressure and increases our blood’s ability to clot.
What is needed for the muscles of the heart to work?
A good supply of oxygen and glucose, which is provided by the coronary arteries.
How can doctors solve the problem of coronary heart disiese?
A stent can be placed in the blocked artery and a tiny balloon is inflated to open up the blood vessel and the stent at the same time. The balloon is deflated and removed but the stet remains in place, holding the blood vessel open. As soon as this is done, the blood in the coronary arteries flows frrely.
When a stent is inserted in a coronary artery, is general anaesthetic required?
No
What is the problem with using stents in the body?
They cause blood clotting and so anticoagulant drugs will need to be used, which may cause internal bleeding or bruising.
What is bypass surgery ?
Another type of surgery which can be performed that replaces narrow or blocked arteries with bits of veins from other parts of the body.
When will bypass surgery need to be used over the inserting of a stent?
When arteries are so badly blocked that stents can’t help .
What are some dis-advantages of bypass surgery ?
- Surgery is expensive
- Involves the risks involved with general anaesthetic.
What are Statins?
Drugs that help lower the cholesterol in the blood and help slow down the rate at which fatty materials are deposited in the coronary arteries.
What is the main vein in our body?
The vena cava
What is the main artery in our body?
The aorta
What is angina?
When the arteries become narrower and the heart has to work harder to pump blood around the body.
What is the resting rhythm of a healthy heart?
70 beats a minute
What controls the basic rhythm of our heart?
The pacemaker
What controls the natural pacemaker?
The natural pacemaker is controlled by a group of specialised cells in our right atrium , which generate electrical signals that make the heart contract independently in the nervous system.
What may happen if the natural pacemaker stops working properly?
The heart may beat too slowly and you may not get enough oxygen or the heart may beat too fast and blood can’t be pumped properly [tachycardia].
What are the different types of arrhythmia a person can suffer from?
Tachycardia, where the heart beats too fast, bradycardia, where your heart beats too slow and atrial fibrillation, an irregular and fast heartbeat.
What is arrhythmia?
An abnormal heart rhythm.
What can be done to solve the problem of a disrupted natural pacemaker?
An artificial pacemaker can be installed. This mechanical device sends strong, regular signals to your heart to stimulate it to beat properly.
How much do artificial pacemakers usually weigh and why?
20 - 50 g so that they’re small and convenient.
Can modern pacemakers speed up during exercise?
Yes
What problems may occur to our heart valves over time?
They may start to leak or become stiff, making the heart less efficient.