Blood Flashcards
Blood, Blood vessels
Blood is made up of…
Plasma
White blood cells
Red blood cells
Platelets
Plasma is…
A yellow liquid that carries many substances dissolved in it, it carries other cells suspended within it.
It makes up about 55 per cent of your blood
Plasma contains…
White blood cells, red blood cells, platelets
Glucose, amino acids, carbon dioxide, urea, hormones, antibodies, antitoxins, proteins
Platelets…
Fragments of cells, with no nucleus,
they help to clot blood at a wound
What is the function of white blood cells?
defend against infection
lymphocytes - produce antibodies and antitoxins phagocytes - engulf to kill, phagocytosis
What is the function of red blood cells?
carry oxygen around the body
the red comes from the haemoglobin
they are about 45 per cent of the blood
How are red blood cells adapted?
Biconcave - increases surface area to absorb more oxygen
Haemoglobin - to bind to the oxygen to help carry it around, becomes oxyhaemoglobin
no nucleus - leaves more space to carry blood around
Arteries…
have small lumen - to maintain pressure
thick muscle wall - strength to maintain pressure
thick epithelial/elastic wall - allow it to stretch and spring back
high pressure - comes directly from the heart
Veins…
valves - to prevent back-flow of blood
large lumen - help blood flow despite low pressure
low pressure - the end of the system, lost pressure along the journey
Capillaries…
one cells thick - short distance for diffusion of substances
permeable walls - so substances can exchange
small - to carry blood close to every cell
Main arteries…
Aorta - from the heart to the body, out of the left ventricle, oxygenated blood
pulmonary artery - from the heart to the lungs, out the right ventricle, deoxygenated blood
Main veins…
vena cava - from the body to the heart, into the right atrium, deoxygenated blood
pulmonary vein - from the lungs into the heart, into left atrium, oxygenated blood
