bio Flashcards
What substances does plasma carry?
Carbon dioxide
Digested food and mineral ions
Urea
Hormones
Heat energy
What is the role of red blood cells?
to carry oxygen to respiring cells
How are red blood cells adapted to their function?
Contain lots of haemoglobin (which binds to oxygen)
No nucleus (which allows more space for haemoglobin
Biconcave disc shape (gives them large surface area to volume ratio)
What is the role of white blood cells?
defend the body from pathogenic microorganisms
What are the two main types of white blood cells?
Phagocytes
Lymphocytes
What other type of cells are part of the immune system?
platelets
How do phagocytes work?
They engulf the microorganism by producing pseudopodia that surround the cell and then digest it
How do lymphocytes work?
They produce antibodies which detect antigens on the microorgansms and attach to them and then destroy the cell
How do platelets work?
They form clots to stop blood from escaping when we get a cut in a vessel
