Circulatory System Flashcards
Anterior/superior vena cava
collects all blood from head, neck, arms, and chest, returning the deoxygenated blood to the right atrium
Antibody
y-shaped protein complexes produced by white blood cells; have receptors: when coming into contact with antigens, the two molecules bond together ??
Antigen
a molecular structure/molecule that can bind to a specific antibody/T-cell
Aorta
major blood vessel carrying oxygenated blood out of the heart
Arterial duct
in a fetal circulatory system, small arterial connection from pulmonary trunk to the aorta, allowing oxygenated blood to bypass the nonfunctional lungs
Atrioventricular valve (AV valve)
large cylindrical flaps of muscle which lie between the atria and the ventricles (hence atrioventricular); when the heart beats, blood is pushed through the valves into the ventricles
Autonomic nervous system
involuntary, not under conscious control: regulates heartbeat
Atrioventricular node (AV node)
node closest to AV valve, stimulates intrinsic nature of heartbeat (receives impulse from SA node)
Blood
tissue composed of plasma (mostly water) and cells
Blood pressure
force of blood against blood vessel walls, measured as systolic/diastolic
Blood velocity
how fast blood travels through the body- depending on what kind of blood vessel the blood goes through, velocity changes
Blood vessel
channels which carry blood through the body, three general kinds: arteries, capillaries, veins
Capillary-tissue fluid exchange
where fluids, gases, nutrients, and wastes are exchanged between the body and blood tissues by diffusion
Carotid artery
takes blood to the head, is the pulse in the side of the neck
Chordae tendineae
holds AV valves and prevents them from flipping up (inversion); attach valve flaps to the interior of ventricle walls
Coronary artery
first branches off the aorta and wrap around the outside of the heart; relatively small, feed heart muscle + supply blood to it
Coronary vein
take spent blood back to the vena cava
Diastolic pressure
aka diastole: pressure that blood exerts outwards on the walls of arteries when the heart is not contracting, decreases the farther away it is from the heart
Fetal circulation
circulatory pattern of an unborn mammal where the lungs do not function .: must conduct external respiration and divert blood away from the lungs; most notable differences include the arterial duct, venous duct, and the oval opening
Hepatic portal vein
major vein that takes nutrient-rich blood from the small intestines to the liver; have capillary beds on both ends for exchange (ie. pick up glucose from small intestines then drops it off in liver for storage)
Hepatic vein
major vein that conducts blood from the liver back to the inferior vena cava; on the way, blood is treated or conditioned
Hypertension
high blood pressure; puts additional pressure on tissues being fed by blood, indication that the heart is working too hard due to external factors such as diet, ethnicity, and stress- potential for tissue damage is greater the longer it is elevated
Hypotension
low blood pressure; caused by lack of nutrients or water, or other conditions