Mammalian transport systems Flashcards
cardiovascular system
the mass transport system of the body made up of a series of vessels with a pump (the heart) to move blood through vessels
circulation
the passage of blood through blood vessels
active transport
the movement of substances into or out of the cell using ATP produced during cellular respiration
buffer
a solution which resists changes in pH
leucocytes
white blood cells; there are several different types which play important roles in defending the body against the entry of pathogens and in the immune system
platelets
cells fragments involved in the clotting mechanism of the blood
megakaryocytes
large cells that are found in the bone marrow and produce platelets
oxyhaemoglobin
the molecule formed when oxygen binds to haemoglobin
carbaminohaemoglobin
the molecule formed when carbon dioxide combines with haemoglobin
carbonic anhydrase
the enzyme that controls the rate of reaction between carbon dioxide and water to produce carbonic acid
Bohr effect
the name given to changes in the oxygen dissociation curve of haemoglobin that occur due to a rise in carbon dioxide levels and a reduction of the affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen
fetal haemoglobin
a form of haemoglobin found only in the developing fetus with a higher affinity for oxygen than adult haemoglobin
serotonin
a chemical that causes the smooth muscles of the blood vessels to contract, narrowing them and cutting of the blood flow to the damaged area
thromboplastin
an enzyme that sets in progress a cascade of events that leads to the formation of a blood clot
prothrombin
a large, soluble protein found in the plasma that is the precursor to an enzyme called thrombin
