Learning Objectives 6: Blood, Immune, and Lymphatic System Flashcards
What is the medical term, lay term, and function of each of the 3 types of blood cells?
Erythrocyte-(red blood cells, transport oxygen)
Thrombocyte-(platelets, cell fragments that form blood clots)
Leukocyte-(White blood cells, immune cells that fight infection and perform disease protection)
What is blood composed of?
55% plasma (where hormones attach for travel around the body), <1% thrombocytes and leukocytes, and 45% red blood cells
What is hematopoiesis? Where does it occur?
The formation/production of blood. This occurs in the bone marrow, where hematopoietic stem cells can become any of the kinds of blood cell
What is anemia? What is a common symptom of a patient with anemia? What are four different types of anemia, and what causes each of them?
anemia is a blood condition characterized by lack of red blood cells or low number of properly functioning red blood cells
Aplastic-(body stops producing enough blood cells (bone marrow damaged – disease, cancer) )
iron-deficiency-(blood loss, lack of iron in diet, decreased iron absorption)
Sickle cell-(abnormal hemoglobin (irregularly shaped red blood cells, die prematurely))
Pernicious-(lack of vitamin B12 absorption (needed for hematopoiesis))
What structures make up the lymphatic system?
- Lymph vessel (the structures that transport lymphatic fluid)
- Lymph fluid (a usually clear fluid that circulates in lymphatic vessels, bathes the cells of the body, and consists of white blood cells and a liquid portion resembling blood plasma)
- Lymph nodes (any of the rounded masses of lymphoid tissue that are surrounded by a capsule of connective tissue, are distributed along the lymphatic vessels, and contain numerous lymphocytes which filter the flow of lymph passing through the node)
- Lymph organs (The bodily parts performing a function or cooperating in an activity of the lymphatic system)
- Lymph tissues (an aggregate of cells usually of a particular kind together with their intercellular substance that form one of the structural materials of a plant or an animal involved in the lymphatic system)
- Lymphocytes (any of the colorless weakly motile cells originating from stem cells and differentiating in lymphoid tissue (as of the thymus or bone marrow) that are the typical cellular elements of lymph, include the cellular mediators of immunity, and constitute 20 to 30 percent of the white blood cells of normal human blood)
What are the two main functions of the lymphatic system?
The two main functions are
fluid balance
happens though vessels and fluid
disease fighting/infection
done through the nodes, organs, tissues, and cells
What is a lymphocyte?
A type of leukocyte found in lymph fluid, nodes, tissue, and organs. They fight infection and protect from disease. They are part of both the lymphatic and immune system.
Compare and contrast lymphatic and cardiovascular circulation. What are the similarities and differences?
Similarities
Capillaries are part of the circulation
Valves (in veins and in lymph vessel)
transport fluid
Differences
transport different fluids (blood vs lymph fluid) Lymph has nodes with filter blood, cardiovascular system does not
The cardiovascular system is one of closed circulation (everything is contained), while in the lymphatic circulation blood is sucked up, filtered, and then returned to veins)
How does the lymphatic system help maintain fluid balance in the body?
by collecting excess fluid and particulate matter from tissues and depositing them in the bloodstream
What is lymphedema? What may cause lymphedema? How is it treated?
Lymphedema is fluid accumulation due to blockage of lymph vessel or nodes
may be caused by cancer or surgery
It may be treated by surgery, and reducing swelling by exercises or compression garments
List the 5 lymphatic tissues and organs in the body.
Tonsil
thymus gland (in children)
bone marrow
spleen
Peyer’s patches
appendix
What are Peyer’s patches? What type of tissue/cells are they composed of? Where are they located?
They are a structure of the lymphatic system. They are patches of lymphocytes throughout the small intestine
What might lead to appendicitis? How is appendicitis most often treated? Why can we live without an appendix?
Appendicitis may be caused by a fecalith (stone of feces). Currently it is most often treated by an appendectomy (removal of the appendix). While new research suggests the appendix may play a role in harboring good gut bacteria in case of a wipe out of the microbiome of the digestive system and with immunity , we can live without it because there is redundancy in its function; there are other organs that have a similar role (it is made of similar tissue as the tonsils, and a wipeout of gut bacteria may be treated with probiotics).
What is the immune system composed of? What is its function?
The immune system is composed mainly of leukocytes. Its function is as the body’s defense and fighting foreign invaders
What are the similarities and differences between the immune system and the lymphatic system?
Similarities
Both play a role in immunity
Both use lymphocytes (a kind of leukocyte)
Differences
immune system has no specific anatomy unlike lymphatic system
lymphatic system is also involved in fluid balance
