Module 3: Cardiovascular Flashcards
Clumping of (foreign) cells; induced by cross-linking of antigen-antibody complexes.
Agglutination
Reduced oxygen-carrying ability of blood resulting from too few erythrocytes or abnormal hemoglobin.
Anemia
Major systemic artery; arises from the left ventricle of the heart.
Aorta
A minute artery.
Arteriole
Blood vessels that conduct blood away from the heart and into the circulation.
Artery
Specialized mass of conducting cells located at the atrioventricular junction in the heart.
Atrioventricular node (AV Node)
Valve that prevents backflow into the atrium when the connected ventricle is contracting.
Atrioventricular valve (AV Valve)
The two superior receiving chambers of the heart.
Atria
White blood cell whose granules stain purplish-black and nucleus purple with basic dye.
Basophil
The smallest of the blood vessels and the sites of exchange between the blood and tissue cells.
Capillary
The functional blood supply of the heart; shortest circulation in the body.
Coronary circulation
Period of the cardiac cycle when either the ventricles or the atria are relaxing.
Diastole
Diagnostic test to determine relative proportion of individual leukocyte types.
Differential white cell count
Obstruction of a blood vessel by an embolus (blood clot, fatty mass, bubble of air, or other debris) floating in the blood.
Embolism
Endothelial membrane that lines the interior of the heart.
Endocardium
Red blood cells.
Erythrocytes
Process of erythrocyte formation.
Erythropoiesis
Pierced with one or more small openings.
Fenestrated
A soluble blood protein that is converted to insoluble fibrin during blood clotting.
Fibrinogen
Circulation in which the hepatic portal vein carries dissolved nutrients to the liver tissues for processing.
Hepatic Portal system
Vein that returns blood from body areas below the diaphragm.
Inferior vena cava
White blood cells; formed elements involved in body protection that take part in inflammatory and immune responses.
Leukocyte
Abnormally low white blood cell count.
Leukopenia
Layer of the heart wall composed of cardiac muscle.
Myocardium
Valves that prevent blood return to the ventricles after contraction; aortic and pulmonary valves.
Semilunar valves
Specialized myocardial cells in the wall of the right atrium; pacemaker of the heart.
Sinoatrial (SA) node
Vein that returns blood from body regions superior to the diaphragm.
Superior vena cava
System of blood vessels that serves gas exchange in the body tissues.
Systemic circuit
The right atrioventricular valve.
Tricuspid valve
