Cardiovascular System Flashcards

1
Q

What is blood?

A
  • Fluid connective tissue
  • Cellular elements: RBCs, WBCs and platelets
  • Extracellular matrix = plasma
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2
Q

Describe the anatomy of erythrocytes

A

Function: transport oxygen from lungs to other tissues, and CO2 from tissues to lungs

Diameter: 7-8 um
No nucleus
Cytoplasm colour: diffusely reddish-pink
Biconcave shape
No mitochondria

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3
Q

Describe neutrophils

A

Function: Leave the bloodstream and enter loose connective tissue. Become active phagocytes and ingest bacteria

Size: 9-15um
Shape of nucleus: 2-4 lobes connected by fine chromatin
Cytoplasmic granules: fine, evenly distributed, purple granules

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4
Q

Describe lymphocytes

A

Function: Produce antibodies or directly kill cells

Size: 7-10um
Shape of nucleus: round/oval
Cytoplasm: rim of intensely basophils cytoplasm around nucleus

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5
Q

Describe monocytes

A

Function: Traverse capillary walls and enter adjacent connective tissue and become phagocytise macrophages

Size: 15-20um
Shape of nucleus: indented/kidney shaped
Cytoplasm colour: translucent grey-blue

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6
Q

Describe platelets

A
  • Membrane-bound fragments of cytoplasm from megakaryocytes (located in bone marrow)
  • Function: blood clotting
  • Often in small clusters
  • Diameter: 1-3um
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7
Q

Where is the heart located?

A

In the mediastinum of thoracic region

(Median region of thorax between the lungs)

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8
Q

What are the chambers of the heart

A

Left and right atrium (receives blood) and ventricle (pumps blood)

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9
Q

What is the pericardium?

A
  • double layered membrane that surrounds the heart
  • Heart is contained within the pericardial cavity

Pericardial sac: Outer wall of pericardial cavity. Attaches to sternum and central tendon of thoracic diaphragm

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10
Q

What are the great vessels of the heart

A
  • Superior vena cava
  • Inferior vena cava
  • Pulmonary veins
  • Pulmonary trunk
  • Aorta
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11
Q

What are the 2 circuits?

A

Pulmonary circuit: blood goes to lungs to be reoxygenated then flows back to the heart

Systematic circuit: blood flows to tissues of the body and back to the heart.

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12
Q

Describe the superior vena cava

A

One of the systematic veins

Drains blood from the head, neck, and upper limbs to empty into superior region of RA

No valves

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13
Q

Describe inferior vena cava

A

One of systematic veins

Drains blood from the abdomen, pelvis, and lower limbs to empty into the inferior region of RA

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14
Q

Pulmonary veins

A
  • 4
  • Carry blood from lungs to drain into LA
  • No valves
  • Only veins to carry oxygenated blood
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15
Q

Describe pulmonary trunk

A
  • Terminally divides into R and L pulmonary arteries
  • Carries deoxygenated blood from RV to lungs
  • Only arteries that carry deoxy. Blood
  • Has pulmonary semilunar valve
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16
Q

Describe aorta

A

Carries blood from LV to most parts of the body

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17
Q

Why is left ventricle thicker?

A

LV wall and interventricular septum have thicker myocardium because more pressure is needed to pump blood around the long systematic circuit, compared to pulmonary circuit

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18
Q

What is the myocardium?

A

Middle coat of the heart, and the thickest

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19
Q

General features of the RA

A

Thin-walled chamber that lies superior to RV.
Receives blood from systematic circuit

20
Q

Orifice of superior/inferior vena cava

A

Site where SVC/IVC empty
Located superiorly/inferiorly respectively in RA

21
Q

Coronary sinus opening

A
  • Location: Internally in the wall of RA. In between orifice of IVC and right atrioventricular valve opening
  • Receives all blood draining from the heart itself
22
Q

Fossa Ovalis

A

Thinnest part of interatrial septum, oval shape

Site of closure of the foremen ovale

23
Q

Auricle of RA

A

Ear-shaped extension of RA; projects to the left from root of SVC

24
Q

Pectinate muscles

A

Parallel muscular ridges on internal wall of majority of RA and R auricle

25
Q

Right ventricle Function

A

Receives blood from RA via right atrioventricular orifice

26
Q

Trabeculae carnae

A

Cross-crossing muscular ridges on internal walls of ventricle

27
Q

Right atrioventricular valve

A

AKA tricuspid valve

3 triangular-shaped flaps (called cusps)

28
Q

Papillary muscles of right ventricle

A
  • 3
  • internal cone shaped projections
  • attaches to seperate cusp of tricuspid valve via chordae tendinae
29
Q

Chordae Tendinae of RV

A
  • connective tissue fibrous cords
  • attach cusps of of tricuspid valve to papillary muscles
  • Function: maintain closed state of right AV
30
Q

Pulmonary semilunar valve

A
  • Location: base of pulmonary trunk
  • 3 cusps
  • Function: prevent backflow of blood from pulmonary trunk into RV
31
Q

Left atrium general features

A
  • Location: to the left and slightly posterior to RA
    • Function: Receives oxygenated blood from pulmonary blood circuit via pulmonary veins
32
Q

Pulmonary veins

A
  • 4
  • Drain into LA
  • Carry oxygenated blood
33
Q

Auricle of LA

A
  • Similar to auricle of RA
  • Only part of LA that has pectinate muscles
34
Q

General features of LV

A
  • Thickest walls
    • Need more pressure to pump blood through the whole body
  • Recieves blood from LA
  • Drained by aorta
  • Trabeculae carnae line internal walls
35
Q

Bicuspid Valve

A
  • 2 cusps
  • Function: prevent backflow into LA
36
Q

Papillary muscles of LV

A
  • 2
  • attaches to cusp of bicuspid valve via chordae tendinae
37
Q

Aorta and aortic semilunar valve

A
  • Drains LV → systemic circuit though aortic semilunar valve
  • ********Aortic semilunar valve********
    • similar to pulmonary
    • 3 cusps
    • Function: prevents backflow from aorta
38
Q

Blood supply and drainage of heart

A
  • L and R coronary arteries
    • only collateral branches of ascending aorta
    • encircle the base of the ventricles
    • Function: supply oxygenated blood to the heart
  • Coronary sinus
    • Large dilated vein
    • Location: posterior aspect of the heart
    • Venous blood from myocardium returns into coronary sinus via coronary veins
      • Empties in RA to be reoxygenated
39
Q

What are the layers of a blood vessel wall?

A
  • Tunica intima
  • Tunica media
  • Tunica externa/adventitia
40
Q

Parts of Tunica intima

A
  • Endothelium: specialised squamous epithelium
  • Basement membrane: connective tissue
  • Outer layer: areolar connective tissue
  • Arteries: internal elastic membrane
  • Veins: contain valves
41
Q

Describe tunica media

A
  • Layers of smooth muscle tissue supported by connective tissue
    • elastic fibres predominate in arteries (arranged in circular sheets)
    • collagenous fibres predominate in veins
  • Function: vasoconstriction and vasodilation
    • Regulated in part by sympathetic vascular nerves in walls of blood vessels
42
Q

External elastic membrane of tunica media

A
  • Loose connective tissue
  • Seperates tunica media from tunica externa in larger arteries
  • Appears wavy in slides
43
Q

Describe tunica externa

A
  • Sheath of connective tissue composed mainly of collagenous fibres
    • Some elastic fibres
  • External layers blend with surrounding connective tissue outside the vessel to hold it in relative position
    • Prevents disruption of blood flow
44
Q

What are the types of arteries?

A
  • Elastic artery
    • Close to the heart
    • Thickest walls
    • High % of elastic fibres
      • allows them to expand, and recoil after surge of blood has passed
    • Diameter: 10mm
  • ******Muscular artery******
    • Further from the heart
    • Elastic fibre amount in tunica intima decreases, smooth muscle in tunica media increases
      • Thick tunica media allows better vasoconstriction
    • Diameter: 0.1-10mm
45
Q

Describe veins

A
  • Conducts blood → heart
  • Multiple **venules** join to form veins
  • Thin walls
  • Large and irregular lumina
  • Valves (bc. low pressure)
  • **Venae comitantes:** paired deep veins run adjacent to an artery
    • found in distal regions of upper and lower limbs
    • Communicating vein: communicating section between paired veins
46
Q

Describe capillaries

A
  • Simple, endothelial tubes that form networks of narrow canals between arterioles and venules
  • Function: allows exchange of gases and other substances between blood and tissue
  • Diameter: Around 8um (diameter of erythrocyte)
  • Capillary Wall
    • Single layer of flattened endothelial cells, resting on a basement membrane. Supporting thin layer of connective tissue forms outermost layer
    • Leaky walls, allowing substances to pass through