Biology 20 - Circulatory vocabulary Flashcards
Atria
A chamber of the heart that receives blood from the veins and forces it into a ventricle or ventricles.
Ventricles
A chamber of the heart which receives blood from an atrium and from which blood is forced into the arteries.
Septum
Tissue that separates parts of the heart (atria, ventricles).
Vena cava
A large vein that carries blood to the heart from other areas of the body.
Pulmonary arteries
Carries blood from your heart to your lungs.
Pulmonary veins
Carries blood from your lungs to your heart.
Capillaries
Place of gas and nutrient exchange, small blood vessels that branch out.
Sinoatrial (SA) node
Bundle of specialized tissue, its signal causes both of the atria to contract. As the atria contract, the signal reaches the AV (atrioventricular) node.
Atrioventricular (AV) node
The AV node transmits the electrical signal which cause the contraction of the ventricles.
Blood pressure
As blood passes through the vessels of the body, it pushes against the walls of the vessels.
Systolic pressure
The maximum pressure in the blood vessels. It occurs during ventricular contraction.
Diastolic pressure
The lowest pressure in the blood vessels. It occurs between ventricular contractions.
Pulmonary pathway
Transports O2 poor blood to the lungs enabling gas exchange and returning to heart.
Systemic pathway
O2 rich blood leaves the left ventricle and travels to the body tissues where gasses, nutrients, and wastes are exchanged.
Coronary pathway
Provides blood to the heart tissue itself. Consists of two coronary arteries that split off from the aorta just as it is exiting the left ventricle. These split into smaller and smaller vessels, ending in capillaries which exchange gasses etc., with the heart muscle tissue, then join into coronary veins which enter the right ventricle.
Plasma
The fluid portion of blood. Made of water, dissolved gasses, proteins, sugars, vitamins, minerals, hormones, and waste products. Makes up ~55% of blood volume.
Formed portion
Red Blood Cells, White Blood cells and platelets. All are all produced in the bone marrow. Makes up ~45% of blood volume.
Red blood cells
Specialized for O2 transport.
Erythrocytes
Scientific name for red blood cells.
Hemoglobin
Iron-containing protein in the blood of many animals in the red blood cells of vertebrates that transports oxygen to the tissues.
White blood cells
- Part of the body’s response to infection.
- Makes up ~1% of blood volume, can double during infection.
- Have nuclei, appear colorless.
Types:
1. Granulocytes: Include Eosinophils, Basophils, and Neutrophils.
2. Monocytes
3. Lymphocytes
Functions:
1. Granulocytes & Monocytes: Found in circulating blood, engulf and destroy foreign bodies.
2. Lymphocytes: Some produce antibodies that incapacitate pathogens, facilitating their detection and destruction by Granulocytes and Monocytes.
Leukocytes
Scientific name for white blood cells.
Platelets
Fragments of cells that form when larger dells in the bone marrow break apart.
Vasodilation
If the internal environment is too warm: Blood vessels flowing to the skin dilate to allow more blood to the skin’s surface, and therefore more heat loss.
Vasoconstriction
If the internal environment is too cool: Blood vessels constrict to keep blood away from the skin’s surface and prevent heat loss.
Interstitial fluid
Fluid found in the spaces around cells.
Hemophilia
Insufficient clotting proteins in the blood. Treated with injections of Factor VIII, a protein that is missing from their blood.
Leukemia
Cancer of the white blood cells.
Two types
1. Myeloid
- Characterized by the presence of too may leukocytes, which are immature and unable to fight infection
- Crowd our red blood cells and result in anemia and fatigue
2. Lymphoid
- Cancer of the lymphocytes
- Similar symptoms to Myeloid leukemia
Treatments:
1. Blood transfusions
2. Chemotherapy
3. Bone marrow transplant
Lymphatic circulatory system
A network of vessels with associated glands or nodes that extends throughout the body.
Lymph
Fluid collected by vessels, which is made up of interstitial fluid, and is either colourless or pale yellow. It is similar in composition to blood plasma.
Non-specific defenses
General mechanisms that defend the body against a wide variety of pathogens.
Cell-mediated immunity
A type of immune response that does not involve antibodies but rather the activation of phagocytes, antigen-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, and the release of various cytokines in response to an antigen.
Phagocytosis
The process by which certain living cells called phagocytes engulf and digest other cells or particles.
Macrophages
Large white blood cells that are an essential part of the immune system.
Immunity
The ability of an organism to resist a particular infection or toxin by the action of specific antibodies or sensitized white blood cells.
Specific defenses
Immune responses that are tailored to specific pathogens.
Antibody-mediated immunity
Involves B cells that recognize antigens and differentiate into plasma cells that produce antibodies specific to those antigens.
Antibodies
Proteins produced by B cells that specifically bind to and neutralize antigens.
Lymphocytes
Type of white blood cell that is part of the immune system.
Two main types
1. B cells
2. T cells
B cells
Responsible for producing antibodies during the adaptive immune response.
T cells
Involved in cell-mediated immunity. They do not produce antibodies but can directly attack infected cells.
Antigens
Substances that are recognized by the immune system as foreign and provoke an immune response.
Helper T-cells
Type of T cell that plays a crucial role in regulating the immune response by activating other immune cells.
Killer T-cells
They directly attack and destroy infected or cancerous cells.
Suppressor t-cells
Help regulate and suppress the immune response, preventing excessive reactions that could damage the body’s own tissues.
Memory t-cells
A subset of T cells that remain in the body after an infection has been eliminated and can quickly respond to the same antigen if it reappears.
ABO system
A classification system for the antigens of human blood. It categorizes blood into four types (A, B, AB, and O) based on the presence or absence of A and B antigens on the surface of red blood cells.
Rh factor
An antigen found on the surface of red blood cells (pregnant example).
