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Biology > Ch25: Blood > Flashcards

Ch25: Blood Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the 4 components of blood?

A

Plasma
Platelets
Red Blood Cells (RBC’s)
White Blood Cells (WBC’s)

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2
Q

Brief description of plasma

A

-Yellow, liquid part of blood
-Makes up 55% of blood
-Made up of 90% water, 7% proteins and 3% dissolved materials

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3
Q

What are the main plasma proteins?

A

-Antibodies (produced by WBC’s to bind foreign substances)
-Clotting proteins (form blood clots)

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4
Q

What is serum?

A

Plasma from which the clotting proteins have been removed

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5
Q

What is the function of plasma?

A

-To transport dissolved materials like glucose, CO2, hormones etc.
-To transport heat

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6
Q

What are other names for RBC’s?

A

-Red blood corpuscles
-Erythrocytes

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7
Q

Where are red blood cells produced?

A

Bone marrow

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8
Q

Describe the structure of RBC’s

A

-Have a nucleus UNTIL they mature into red blood corpuscles after a few days (No nucleus in maturity)
-No mitochondria
-Very small biconcave discs (for increased surface area to aid diffusion)

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9
Q

What protein do RBC’s contain? Describe this protein

A

-Contains red protein, haemoglobin
-It combines with oxygen to form oxyhaemoglobin

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10
Q

Describe the life span of a RBC, and the processes by which th ey are broken down.

A

-RBC’s live for 4 months before being broken down in the liver and spleen
-When they are broken down, the haemoglobin is stored in the liver (and recycled), and the rest of the cell is converted to bile pigments, bilivirdin and bilirubin

-RBC’s are damaged when they change shape to pass through narrow blood vessels

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11
Q

What is the function of RBC’s?

A

To transport oxygen

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12
Q

What causes anaemia and how can it be treated?

A

-Caused y lack of haemoglobin or red blood cells
-Treated by iron supplements or iron rich foods like green vegetables, red meat

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13
Q

What does sickle cell anaemia cause?

A

Causes blood flow to be blocked

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14
Q

What is another name for white blood cells?

A

Leucocytes

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15
Q

Describe WBC’s

A

-Made in bone marrow
-Have a nucleus
-Less numerous than red blood cells (700 red : 1 white)

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16
Q

What is the function of white blood cells?

A

-To defend against and fight infection

17
Q

What are 2 types of WBC’s?

A

-Lymphocytes
-Monocytes/macrophages

18
Q

Lymphocytes:
1. Where are they produced
2. Percentage that they make up
3. Length of time they survive for
4. Description of structure
5. Where are they stored

A
  1. Made in bone marrow
  2. 25%
  3. 3 months to 10 years
  4. Large; round nucleus; very little cytoplasm
  5. Mature in and stored in lymphatic tissue
19
Q

Monocytes/Macrophages
1. Where are they produced
2. Percentage that they make up
3. Length of time they survive for
4. Description of structure

A
  1. Bone Marrow
  2. 5%
  3. 6-9 days
  4. Kidney-shaped nuclei
20
Q

What is the function of lymphocytes?

A

To make antibodies

21
Q

What is the function of monocytes?

A

-To surround and digest bacteria and viruses in a process called phagocytosis

22
Q

What is leukemia and how can it be treated?

A

-A form of cancer in which the WBC’s are produced too rapidly and are immature
-They crowd out other blood cells and may cause anaemia, increased risk of infection and reduced ability to clot
-Treated by radiation or drugs

23
Q

What is another name for platelets?

A

Thrombocytes

24
Q

How are platelets made?

A

Made in bone marrow from large cells which break into fragments called platelets

25
Q

What is the fnction of platelets?

A

-To clot the blood (using a strong platelet plug with stable fibrin mesh)
-This reduces blood loss and stops microorganisms from entering

26
Q

What is haemophilia?

A

-The lacking ability to form a clot, leading to excessive bleeding
-Lack of natural clotting factor means only a weak platelet plug can form
-Incomplete fibrin mesh allows the bleeding to continue

27
Q

How is a blood clot formed? What do blood clots cause?

A

Formed if vessel walls are damaged, leading it to be blocked

Blood clots are also called a thrombosis

-In the brain, causes stroke
-In the heart, causes heart attack

28
Q

What are the overall functions of blood?

A

-Transport food, waste and hormones
-Transport heat
-Transport oxygen
-Defence against disease (WBC’s engulf bacteria, Lymphocytes produce antibodies, platelets clot blood)

29
Q

What is an antigen?

A

A chemical marker that can stimulate the production of antibodies

30
Q

Where are antigens on RBC’s?

A

Most RBC’s have a carbohydrate/protein molecule on their surface that acts as an antigen

31
Q

What are the 4 main blood types and how do they differ?

A

A, B, AB, O

-They differ in the type of antigens they have on their RBC’s, e.g. blood type B has B antigens, therefore has antibodies for A (not compatible with blood type A)

32
Q

Why are blood groups important?

A

Important in blood transfusions, because introducing the wrong antigen may cause blood clumping in the receiver

33
Q

Name the 2 blood grouping systems

A

-ABO Blood groups
-Rhesus factor

34
Q

Explain the rhesus factor

A

-If somebody is Rhesus Positive (RH+), they have an antigen called factor D
-Rh- people will produce antibodies to Factor D

-Rh- blood can be given to a Rh+ person
-Rh+ blood cannot be given to a Rh- person because the Rh- person has antibodies for the Rh+ blood (causes clumping in blood)

35
Q

Explain how Rhesus factor can impact pregnancy and what can be done to prevent this?

A

-May lead to problems for a Rh- mother who is pregnant with her Rh+ child
-1st Rh+ baby is born safely
-Any further born Rh+ babies may be anaemic, brain-damaged or stillborn

-Anti-D treatment is used to prevent this

Biology (10 decks)

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