Functions of Blood Flashcards
What is the most abundant blood cell? What is its function?
Erythrocyte - oxygen transport
How are erythrocytes adapted to carry out oxygen transport?
- Contain Hb
- No nucleus
- No mitochondria
- Cytoskeleton made from spectrin
Why do erythrocytes have no mitochondria?
So it doesn’t use up the oxygen it transports
Why is the cytoskeleton made from spectrin?
Deformable, can bend and squeeze through capillaries
What else does blood help deliver round body?
Vitamins, minerals, hormones, amino acids, fatty acids, collects waste products
What are endocrine hormones?
Secreted by specific endocrine glands (with duct) into blood to be circulated to remote target tissues
What are the targets of these endocrine hormones?
Insulin Oestrogen, testosterone, progesterone Vasopressin Adrenalin Thyroid stimulating hormone
Beta cells in pancreas Ovary/testes Posterior pituitary lobe Adrenal medulla Anterior pituitary lobe
What are paracrine hormones?
Acts on neighbouring cell
What are autocrine hormones?
Acts on cell that produces it (self-regulating cell function)
Blood is important in fighting infections. How is the complement system important in this?
The complement system is a range of proteins in plasma that is activated to fight infection by pathogens
How does blood prevent own blood loss?
Platelets are small enucleate blood cells that clump together when injured.
What is the blood coagulation pathway?
Formation of thrombin, a fibrin clot is formed
