Midterm Flashcards
What is a hormone and how does it act?
A hormone is a secretion from a gland.
It acts by travelling through the bloodstream to its target organ. Though it lands on several cells, it only binds to its own receptors where it is to be received.
What is the role of negative feedback in controlling hormone secretion?
As hormone levels increase in the blood, the hormone exerts its effects, negative feedback inhibits the system and the hormone secretion decreases. Then, as hormone levels in the blood decrease and the hormones’ effects wane, inhibition of the system ceases and secretion of that hormones increases once again.
As a result of negative feedback, hormone levels in the BS remain relatively stable, fluctuating slight around an average value.
What are paracrine hormones?
These hormones enter the interstitial fluid and affect only nearby cells.
What are autocrine hormones?
These hormones affect only the cell secreting the substance.
What is an endocrine gland?
Internal secretion (into the bloodstream)
What is an exocrine gland?
Secretes chemical substances that enter ducts or tubes that lead to body surfaces.
Where can the different endocrine glands be found on the body? (15)
- Anterior pituitary gland
- Posterior pituitary gland
- Thyroid gland
- Parathyroid gland
- Adrenal medulla
- Adrenal cortex
- Pancreas
- Pineal gland
- Thymus
- Testes
- Ovaries
- Digestive tract
- Heart
- Kidneys
- Liver
What are the differences and similarities of glucagon and insulin?
Glucagon is a protein that stimulates the liver to break down glycogen into glucose through glycogenolysis and to convert noncarbohydrates into glucose through gluconeogenesis.
When blood glucoses levels drop, this hormone raises it (to prevent hypoglycemia) and raises it back to normal levels. Once the levels are back to normal, the hormone is inhibited.
Insulin stimulates the liver to form glycogen from glucose and inhibits the conversion of noncarbohydrates into glucose. It lowers blood glucose levels when they become too high. Once the glucose levels return to normal, the hormone secretion is decreased.
Both hormones play important roles in regulating blood glucose levels.
How does stress response affect the body?
It causes increased activity in the sympathetic nervous system and an increase in secretion of adrenal hormones (epinephrine, norepinephrine).
The hypothalamus controls a general adaption syndrome. The responses to stress work to maintain homeostasis. Persistent stress can lead to an exhaustion phase that can be fatal.
How does aging affect the endocrine system?
Endocrine glands shrink and accumulate connective tissue, fat, and lipofuscin, but actual hormone activity usually remains within normal range. Thymus has shrunken.
Biggest change is blood glucose regulation abilities. Possible insulin resistance.
What are components of blood?
Formed elements (45%)
Plasma (55%)
Formed elements:
Platelets
RBCs (95%)
WBCs
Plasma:
Electrolytes
Water (92%)
Proteins
Wastes
Nutrients
Vitamins
Hormones
Gases
What are components of blood?
Formed elements (45%)
Plasma (55%)
Formed elements:
Platelets
RBCs (95%)
WBCs
Plasma:
Electrolytes
Water (92%)
Proteins
Wastes
Nutrients
Vitamins
Hormones
Gases
What are the normal levels and percentages of RBCs?
Adult males: 4,700,000 - 6,100,000 cells/mL, 38.3% - 48.6%
Adult women:
4,200,000 - 5,400,000 cells/mL, 35.5% - 44.9%
Children:
4,500,000 - 5,100,000
How does the shape of a RBC important to its function?
Its shape enables it to readily squeeze through narrow capillaries, its shape helps it transport gas by increasing surface area where gasses can diffuse into and out of, and it places the cell membrane closer to the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin molecules in the cell (reduces distance for diffusion).
What is a hematocrit?
A hematocrit (HCT) is a percentage of RBCs in whole blood. It separates the solid part (formed elements) from thw watery liquid portion (plasma).
The normal levels:
40% - 54% in men
35% - 46% in women
What two categories do WBCs fall into? Why?
- Granulocytes
(have granular cytoplasm, lobed nucleus, and x2 the size of a RBC) - Agranulocytes
(lack specific granules)
What are the WBCs that fall under the granulocytes category? (3)
- Neutrophils
- Eosinophils
- Basophiles
GRAN. N.E.B
Describe the appearance of neutrophils
Fine, cytoplasmic granules that appear light purple to pink in a combo of acid and base stains
Describe the function and role of neutrophils
They are the most abundant, accounting for 50%-70% of WBCs in an adult blood sample. They are mobile and phagocytic. They are also the first WBCs to arrive at the site of an infection. They kill bacteria by using something called a respiratory burst.
Describe the appearance of eosinophils
Coarse, uniformly sized cytoplasmic granules that appear deep red in acid stains. 2 lobed nucleus.
Describe the function and role of eosinophils
Weakly phagocytic. They are also attracted to and kill certain parasites. They also also help control inflammation and are involved in allergic reactions. They account for 1%-4% of circulating WBCs.
Describe the appearance of basophils
Similar to eosinophils and shape of nuclei. There are fewer, more irregularly shaped cytoplasmic granules that appear deep blue in basic stain.
Describe the function and role of basophils
Rarest of WBCs (<1% in circulating WBCs).
They migrate to damaged tissue to release heparin and histamine.
What WBCs fall under the agranulocytes category?
- Monocytes
- Lymphocytes
Talk a bit about monocytes and lymphocytes
They are produced in the RBM, but some lymphocytes migrate to the thymus to mature.
Describe the appearance of monocytes
They are the largest of WBCs. Their nuclei is spherical, kidney shaped, oval or lobed.
Describe the function and role of monocytes.
They can engulf larger structures than neutrophils. They account for 3%-9% of circulating WBCs and can live for several weeks or months.
They leave the bloodstream and migrate to certain tissues where they transform into MACROPHAGES (highly phagocytic cells).
Describe the appearance of lymphocytes
Smallest of the WBCs, slightly larger than RBCs. Large, spherical nucleus surrounded by a thin layer of cytoplasm.
Describe the function and role of lymphocytes.
Account for 25%-33% of circulating WBCs. They can live for years. There are two major types of lymphocytes.
What are the major types of lymphocytes?
T-cells and B-cells
What is the function of T-cells?
Directly attack the pathogens
What is the function of B-cells?
They produce antibodies
What is the difference of serum and plasma?
Serum is plasma without all of its fibrinogen and most other clotting factors.
How are platelets involved in hemostasis?
Firstly, hemostasis is the stoppage of bleeding, which is important when the blood vessels are damaged. One of the mechanisms of hemostasis is a platelet plug form. When a blood vessel is damaged, platelets stick to any rough surface. Most notably, they stick to exposed collagen fibers. When they come into contact with that exposed collagen fibers, their shapes change. During this, the platelets also release serotonin and thromboxane A2. These platelets form a plug in the vascular break and creates a temporary hold to control the bleeding.
What happens if a clot forms within blood vessels?
A blood clot that forms in the blood vessel is called a thrombus. A clot that dislodges (or even a fragment of the clot) and is carried away by blood flow is called an embolus. If it becomes stuck in a narrow space, it is called an embolism.
If a blood clot in a blood vessel blocks blood flow from a vital area such as the heart or brain, it kills the tissues the vessel serves and this can be fatal. The same can happen with an embolism.
What is a edema?
Edema is excess fluid trapped in the tissue. As concentration of plasma proteins drops, so does the colloid osmotic pressure. Water leaves the blood vessels and accumulates in interstitial spaces, which causes swelling.
What antigens can be found on RBC? What antibodies can be found in the plasma? (2)
- Antigen A
- Antigen B
What are antibodies in the plasma? What antibodies does plasma have?
When an antigen is missing, an antibody is produced. For example, if antigen A is missing, the plasma produces Anti-A antibody.
What combo of the four antigen combinations do people have?
- A
- B
- AB
- Neither A nor B
How do antigens and antibodies create different blood types?
Individuals with type A blood have anti-B antibodies in their plasma; those with type B blood have anti-A antibodies; those with type AB blood have neither antibodies; those with type O blood have both anti-A and anti-B antibodies.
How does the Rh factor affect a developing fetus and its mother?
Problems can arise from a Rh-negative mother and a Rh-positive fetus. The first pregnancy will be uneventful and cause no problems. However, if during birth, the placental membrane that separated the maternal blood from the fetal blood tear and some of the baby’s Rh positive blood cells enter the maternal circulation, the cells can stimulate that the mother’s body produce anti-Rh antibodies.
During the second pregnancy, the anti-Rh antibodies (hemolysins) can cross the placental membrane and destroy the fetal red cells. The fetus would then develop a condition called erythroblastosis.
What are the functions of the cardiovascular system?
The heart is a muscular pump that generates the force required to move blood through the body’s blood vessels. Along the way, oxygen and nutrients in the blood are distributed to tissue cells, while carbon dioxide and other waste products are removed and transported by the blood to various organs, such as the lungs and kidneys, for disposal.