Circulatory System Flashcards
Pulse
A change in the diameter of the arteries following heart contractions
Artery
A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart
Atherosclerosis
A degeneration of blood vessels caused by the accumulation of fat deposits in the inner wall
Arteriosclerosis
A group of disorders that cause the blood vessels to thicken, harden, and lose their elasticity
Aneurysm
A bulge in the weakened wall of a blood vessel, usually an artery
Vein
A blood vessel that carries blood towards the heart
Septum
A wall of muscle that separates the right and left sides of the heart
Pulmonary Circulatory System
The system of blood vessels that carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs and oxygenated blood to the heart
Atrium
A thin-walled chamber of the heart that receives blood from veins
Ventricle
A muscular thick-walled chamber of the heart that delivers blood to the arteries
AV Valve
Atrioventricular valve; a heart valve that prevents the back flow of blood from a ventricle into an atrium
Semilunar Valve
A valve that prevents the back flow of blood from an artery into a ventricle
Aorta
The largest artery in the body; carries oxygenated blood to the tissues
Coronary Artery
An artery that supplies the cardiac muscle with oxygen and nutrients
Myogenic Muscle
Muscle that contracts without external nerve stimulation
SA Node
Sinoatrial node; a small mass of tissue in the right atrium that originates the impulses stimulating the heartbeat
AV Node
Atrioventricular node; a small mass of tissue in the right atrioventricular region through which impulses from the sinoatrial node are passed to the ventricles
Purkinje Fibre
A nerve fibre that branches and carries electrical impulses throughout the ventricles
Diastole
Relaxation (dilation) of the heart, during which the atria fill with blood
Systole
Contraction of the heart, during which blood is pushed out of the heart
Cardiac Output
The amount of blood pumped from the heart each minute
Stroke Volume
The quantity of blood pumped with each beat of the heart
Sphygmomanometer
A device used to measure blood pressure
Lymph
The fluid found in lymph vessels that contains some proteins that have leaked through capillary walls
Lymph Node
A mass of tissue that stores lymphocytes and removes bacteria and foreign particles from the lymph
Lymphocyte
A white blood cell that produces antibodies
Spleen
A lymphoid organ that acts as a reservoir for blood and a filtering site site for lymph
Thymus
A lymphoid organ in which T lymphocytes mature
Plasma
The fluid portion of the blood
Erythrocyte
A red blood cell that contains hemoglobin and carries oxygen
Anemia
The reduction in blood oxygen due to low levels of hemoglobin or poor red blood cell production
Leukocyte
A white blood cell
Platelet
A component of blood responsible for initiating blood clotting
Antigen
A substance, usually protein, that stimulates the formation of an antibody
Antibody
A protein formed with the blood that reacts with an antigen
Agglutination
The clumping of blood cells caused by antigens and antibodies
Phagocytosis
The process by which a white blood cell engulfs and chemically destroys a microbe
Macrophage
A phagocytic white blood cells found in lymph nodes, bone marrow, and the spleen and liver
T Cell
A lymphocyte, manufactured in the bone marrow an processed by the thymus gland, that identifies and attacks foreign substances
B Cell
A lymphocyte, made and processed in the bone marrow, that produces antibodies
Receptor Site
A port along a cell membrane into which hormones, nutrients, and other needed materials fit
Helper T Cell
A T cell with receptors that bind to fragments of antigens
Killer T Cell
A T cell that destroys microbes, body cells infected with viruses, and mutated cells by puncturing cell membranes
Suppressor T Cell
A T cell that turns off the immune system
Memory B Cell
A B cell that retains information about the shape of an antigen
