Physiology Flashcards
Why can single cells not be larger than 100um?
Any larger and the surface area to volume ratio would not facilitate the speed of diffusion necessary to support the reactions needed for life
How can organisms larger than 100um survive?
They are multicellular and have specialised exchange systems
How does SA:V ratio relate to heat exchange?
Smaller SA:V means better insulation and less heat loss, larger SA:V means faster heat loss
What are the two ways materials move over large distance inside multicellular organisms?
Diffusion and Mass Flow
How do solutes move in diffusion?
In a random direction due to thermal energy
Why is diffusion referred to as a passive process?
Diffusion does not require any energy other than the thermal energy of its surroundings
How does a large concentration gradient affect diffusion?
Net diffusion will occur from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration
What is mass flow?
When a fluid moves in a particular direction due to a force. Mass flow always requires a source of energy to pump the fluid and is independent of concentration differences
How are sea sponges adapted for exchange?
They increase their SA:V ratio by being hollow with very thin walls
How are tapeworms adapted for exchange?
They have flattened bodies which increases their SA:V ratio while also decreasing diffusion distance
How are earthworms adapted for exchange?
They are too thick for diffusion so they developed a rudimentary circulatory system containing haemoglobin to carry gas between the body surface and underlying tissues
What is the function of the exoskeleton of insects?
It is waterproof to prevent drying out but it also prevents gas exchange.
How do insects exchange gas through their exoskeleton?
Through openings in the exoskeleton called spiracles
Where do the spiracles in an insect exoskeleton lead to?
A network of tubes called tracheae which branch into tracheoles that carry air into the cells
What are the tracheae and tracheoles in insect circulatory systems held open by?
A polysaccharide called Chitin
What occurs in the insect circulatory system when at rest?
Water diffuses out of its cells into the ends of the tracheoles which reduces SA in contact with cells and reduces rate of diffusion
What occurs in insect circulatory system when flying?
Their muscles produce lactic acid which lowers he water potential in the cells so water diffuses by osmosis from the tracheoles into the muscle cells, which makes diffusion of oxygen faster for respiration
How do some larger insect circulatory systems differ from normal?
They ventilate their tracheal system by using muscles to squeeze the trachea and suck air in and out to increase gas exchange rate. They also have hairs around their spiracles to reduce water loss or can close their spiracles when inactive
What is the composition of gills in a fish’s circulatory system?
Gills are composed of thousands of filaments which are covered in feathery lamellae which are only a few cells thick and contain blood capillaries to give the structure a large SA and short diffusion path. Gills are covered in muscular flaps called opercula
How do gills work?
Water flows over the filaments and lamellae and oxygen can diffuse down the concentration gradient across a short distance while co2 diffuses the opposite way
Why does a fish suffocate if taken out of water?
The gills are so thin that if a fish is taken out of water they collapse and the fish suffocates
How does ventilation in fish differ from in humans and why?
It is not tidal, it is one way. This is necessary because water is denser and more viscous than air so it would take too much energy to change momentum every breath.
What is Ficks Law?
Rate of Diffusion:
((Surface area)*(Concentration difference))/distance
Explain the process of inspiration in fish
- Mouth open
- Muscles in mouth contract lowering the floor of the mouth and the opercula contract pushing it outwards
- which increases the volume of the buccal and opercular cavity
- decreases pressure of water inside buccal cavity lower than outside pressure
- outside pressure causes opercular valve to close
- water flows in through the open mouth and over the gills from high to low pressure
Explain expiration in fish
- mouth closes
- mouth and opercula relax, raising floor of buccal cavity
- decreases volume of buccal cavity
- increases pressure inside buccal cavity above outside pressure
- pressure difference forces opercula valves open
- water flows out over the gills and through the opercula valve from high to low pressure
What is a counter current system?
Blood flows toward the front of the fish while water flows toward the back to ensure a higher concentration gradient
What type of circulatory system do humans have?
A double circulatory system with a 4 chambered heart.
What are each side of the human circulatory system called and what do they do?
Right side pumps blood to the lungs and is called the pulmonary circulation. Left side pumps blood to the rest of the body and is called the systemic circulation.
What is the series of blood vessels blood circulates through as it circulates the body?
Heart -> Aorta -> Arteries -> Arterioles -> Capillaries -> Venules -> Veins -> Vena Cava -> Heart
What is the purpose of blood vessels?
To deliver blood to capillary beds where substances are exchanged between cells and blood.
Explain how arteries are adapted to their function
Arteries carry blood from the heart to every tissue in the body by branching out into smaller vessels. They have thick walls composed mainly of elastic tissue to allow the artery to expand without bursting from high pressure of blood from the heart.
How are Arterioles adapted to their function?
Arterioles are the smallest arteries, and carry blood to one capillary bed each. They have thinner walls composed of mainly smooth muscle tissue to regulate blood flow to the capillary bed by vasodilation or vasoconstriction.
How is vasodilation and vasoconstriction in the Arterioles controlled?
They happen constantly under the involuntary control of the medulla in the brain.
How are capillaries adapted to their function?
Capillaries are where the transported substances enter and leave the blood. They have one cell thick walls and there are a vast number of them, giving them a short diffusion path and a high SA:V ratio to aid diffusion between cells and blood.
How are veins adapted to their function of carrying blood from tissues to the heart?
Venules collect blood from capillary beds and feeds into larger veins. The blood has lost all pressure in the capillary beds so it is moving slowly through the veins so they do not need thick walls and have large lumen instead to reduce resistance to flow. They also have semi lunar valves to stop blood back flow.
How is blood carried up from the legs through veins if there is low pressure?
Contractions of the leg and abdominal muscles force blood up
How does cross sectional area of the vessels vary as they branch smaller and smaller?
The cross sectional area increases due to the increasing number of them as they branch out
How does the velocity of blood flow change as it flows through smaller vessels?
As blood reaches capillaries, the velocity decreases to give more time for and improve diffusion
How does pressure change as blood flows through he body?
Blood pressure decreases the further the blood is from the heart.
Through what are substances transferred from blood to cells?
Tissue fluid which surrounds all cells
Explain the process through which tissue fluid is formed
Pressure Filtration; At the arterial end of the capillary bed the blood pressure is still high so blood plasma is forced out of the permeable walls, but not cells or proteins because they are too big.
What are the four methods of transport across a cell membrane and what do they transport from the blood to tissue fluid?
- Gases and lipid soluble substances by lipid diffusion
- Water by osmosis
- Ions by facilitated diffusion
- glucose and amino acids by active transport
What occurs at the venous end of the capillary bed?
Blood and tissue fluid have the same pressure, so tissue fluid diffuses back into the blood, bringing water and solutes back into the water.
What happens to the excess tissue fluid which does not return to the blood?
It drains into lymph vessels, forming lymph.
How is movement of lymph in the lymphatic system stimulated?
Through muscular contraction much like veins, and semi lunar valves.
What is the lymphatic system?
A network of lymph vessels running along side blood vessels that lead toward the heart where lymph drains back into the blood.
What are the three fu cations of the lymphatic system?
- To drain excess fluid
- absorbs fats into the small intestine via the lacteals in the villi
- Part of the immune system, lymph nodes are the location of white blood vessels.