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MCAT Biology and Biochemistry > MCAT Cardiovascular Sys. > Flashcards

MCAT Cardiovascular Sys. Flashcards

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1
Q

Describe the 2-pump system of the heart.

A

The right side of the heart received deoxygenated blood from the body and sends it to the lungs to get oxygenated via the pulmonary valve.

The left side of the heart accepts oxygenated blood from the lungs and sends it throughout the body via aortic valve.

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2
Q

Describe the function of the right atria and ventricles and the left atria and ventricles.

A

Right atria accept deoxygenated blood from the inferior vena cava and superior vena cava and pumps blood to right ventricle which than sends it to lungs.

Left atria accepts oxygenated blood via the pulmonary veins and sends it out to the body via the aortic valve.

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3
Q

Atrioventricular valves v. Semilunar valves

A

Atrioventricular valves separate the atria from the ventricles.

Semilunar valves separate the ventricles from the vasculature.

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4
Q

Tricuspid valve v. Bicuspid valve (mitral valve)

A

Tricuspid valve separates the right atrium and right ventricle.

Bicuspid valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle.

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5
Q

Pulmonary valve v. Aortic valve

A

Pulmonary valve - where right ventricle sends deoxygenated blood to the lungs.

Aortic valve- where left ventricle sends oxygenated blood to the lungs.

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6
Q

Which side of the heart is more muscular?

A

The left side of the heart because it needs to maintain blood pressure as the blood moves throughout the body.

Ventricles are more muscular than atrium.

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7
Q

How is rhythmic contraction of the heart controlled?

A

Through 4 excitable structures.

SV node to AV node to bundle of His (AV bundle) to Purkinje fibers.

The signal starts at the SV node which is located in the right atrium. Firing rate of the SV node sets the firing rate at 60-100 BPM.

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8
Q

Atrial kick

A

The additional contraction force of the atrium that allows movement of more blood into the ventricles.

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9
Q

How does cardiac cells maintain simultaneous rhythmic contraction?

A

Through intercalated disks which are connected to each other through gap junctions.

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10
Q

Vagus nerve

A

The nerve by which the parasympathetic NS controls the contraction of the heart.

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11
Q

Systole v. Diastole

A

Systole is ventricular contraction (atrium contracts) and diastole is ventricular relaxation (atrium contracts filling blood into ventricles)

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12
Q

How to calculate cardiac output?

A

By multiplying the heart rate and the stroke volume (volume of blood pushed out with every beat).

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13
Q

What are the three major types of vasculatures?

A

Veins, arteries, and capillaries

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14
Q

Arteries

A

Moves oxygenated blood throughout the body.

Exceptions are pulmonary arteries and umbilical arteries (carries deoxygenated blood).

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15
Q

Describe the flow of blood throughout the body?

A

Arteries carry oxygenated blood. Once it reaches tissues it branches off into arterioles and then into capillaries.

Venules then lead into veins which empties deoxygenated blood into IVC and SVC.

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16
Q

Does arteries or veins have more smooth muscle?

A

Arteries has smoother muscle. Due to the need to push blood throughout the body.

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17
Q

Describe the structure of capillaries?

A

Single endothelial layer to allow easy diffusion of gases, nutrients, and wastes.

Where gas exchange occurs.

18
Q

Describe the structure of veins?

A

Carries deoxygenated blood back to the heart.

Except the pulmonary veins and umbilical veins which carry oxygenated blood

19
Q

Portal systems

A

Systems in which blood must past through two capillary beds.

  • Hepatic portal system - passed through capillary beds of gut and liver.
  • Renal portal system - passed through glomerulus and nephrons.
  • Hypophyseal portal system - passed through hypothalamus and anterior pituitary.
20
Q

What are the components of blood?

A

Plasma - liquid portion

Cellular portion - contains erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets.

Serum - plasma with clotting factors removed.

21
Q

Describe the shape and function and erythrocytes (red blood cells)

A

Contains hemoglobin which has 4 subunits each with a heme prosthetic group that can each hold one O2 molecular (therefore a total of 4 O2 molecules).

Has a biconcave shape which increases their surface area for O2 attachment and easier movement into the capillaries.

22
Q

RBCs doesn’t have organelles. Why?

A

So, they can have more room for oxygen therefore they rely of glycolysis for ATP production.

23
Q

What are the two antigen types of the surface of the RBCs?

A

ABO and Rh factor

A and B alleles are dominant to O allele and codominant to each other. O is the recessive genotype.

24
Q

What will occur to someone who receives the wrong blood type?

A

Hemolysis

25
Q

Describe the unique characteristics of ABO blood types

A

People with O blood type are universal donors but can only receive other O blood type.

People with AB blood type are universal recipients including O type.

26
Q

Rh factor

A

Surface protein named D.

Can be Rh+ or Rh-

Rh+ is autosomal dominant. Only needs one allele present.

Can be expressed with ABO antigens as a + or -.

27
Q

Hypertension

A

High blood pressure

Can damage blood vessels.

Sphygmomanometer is an instrument that measures blood pressure.

28
Q

How is blood pressure represented?

A

As a ratio:
Systolic/ Diastolic

29
Q

How to calculate the peripheral resistance?

A

Multiplying the cardiac output x total peripheral resistance.

Larger the cross-sectional area of the blood vessel, less the pressure.

30
Q

Role of baroreceptors

A

Receptors located in the walls of the blood vessels and measures blood pressure.

When a drop in B.P. happens ADH or aldosterone is released.

31
Q

How does nutrient, waste, and gas exchange happen between cardiovascular system and tissues?

A

Simple diffusion

32
Q

How does the conformation of the heme prosthetic group changes when O2 binds?

A

Changes conformation that increases the affinity for the next oxygen.

33
Q

Role of carbonic anhydrase

A

An enzyme that serves the role of converting CO2 into bicarbonate ion so it can soluble in blood. Once it’s in the lungs the reaction is reversed and we breath out CO2.

34
Q

Describe the Bohr effect

A

Describes increased oxygen delivery to the tissues during exercises.

As we exercise CO2 builds up in our tissues shifting bicarbonate buffer system to the right. H+ decreases hemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen allowing more oxygen delivery to the tissues and a shift to the right on the oxyhemoglobin curve.

35
Q

Hydrostatic pressure

A

The pressure exerted by blood against blood vessel walls. Pushes fluid out into the interstitium.

36
Q

Oncotic pressure

A

The sucking pressure of water caused by increased presence of solutes in blood.

37
Q

What allows the flow of blood between blood vessels and tissues?

A

Pressure differentials.

38
Q

Describe the process of clots are formed?

A
  1. Platelets sense collagen and tissue factor.
  2. Platelets sense exposed collagen and begins to aggregate.
  3. Liver detects tissue factor and secretes coagulation factors which starts an activation cascade.
    • Thromboplastin converts prothrombin to thrombin.
      - Thrombin converts fibrinogen to fibrin.
      - fibrin creates a cross- link meshwork creating a clot.
  4. Clot is broken down by plasmin which is synthesized by plasminogen.
39
Q

What is the lymphatic system? What is its function?

A

As blood moves through the bloodstream, some leaks out into the interstitial space, but it needs to be returned so that blood volume and protein concentration can be maintained.

The lymphatic system is a system of vessels and nodes that collect the lymph (blood that leaked into interstitial space) and dumps it back into the bloodstream.

The lymphatic system also absorbs large lipid droplets from the small intestine as they’re too large to diffuse through epithelial layer.

40
Q

What is the path the lymphatic system takes to dump lymph and lipid droplets back into the bloodstream?

A
  1. Interstitial fluid
  2. Lymph capillaries
  3. Lymph vessels
  4. Lymph ducts
  5. Left subclavian vein
41
Q

What are the functions of the lymphatic system?

A

It functions to redistribute fluid in the body, transports fats around the body, and aid in the immune response.

MCAT Biology and Biochemistry (19 decks)

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