Pre-Module 3 activity Flashcards
Explain the function of the following:
a. Red Blood Cells
b. White Blood Cells
c. Platelets
a. Red Blood Cells: Most abundant, anucleated to allow for hemoglobin to bind to O2 & CO2 to transport
b. White Blood Cells: Protect the body from infectious angents. Also called leukocytes. Play an important role in the immune response by identifying, destroying, and removing pathogens, damaged cells, cancerous cells and foreign matter from the body.
c. Platelets: (tiny cell fragments) Cells that circulate w/in blood and bind together when they recognize damaged blood vessels. Originate in bone marrow. Primary function is blood clot when there is an injury.
Explain anemia
Reduction in the total number of circulating erythrocytes or a decrease in the quality or quantity of hemoglobin.
Causes: altered production of erythrocytes, blood loss, increased erythrocyte destruction, or a combination of all three.
- They are classified by their causes (e.g. anemia of chronic disease) or by the changes that affect the size, shape, or substance of the erythrocyte
-most common classification is based on changes that affect the cell’s size and hemoglobin content.
-Terms used to identify anemias reflect these characteristics. Terms that end with cytic refer to cell size, those that end with chromic refer to hemoglobin content
-Additional terms describing erythrocytes found in some anemias are anisocytosis (assuming various sizes) and poikilocytosis (assuming various shapes)
Describe the location of the thyroid and its function
Location:The thyroid gland is about 2-inches long and lies in front of your throat below the prominence of thyroid cartilage sometimes called the Adam’s apple. The thyroid has two sides called lobes that lie on either side of your windpipe, and is usually connected by a strip of thyroid tissue known as an isthmus. Some people do not have an isthmus, and instead have two separate thyroid lobes.
Function: It releases hormones that control metabolism. The thyroid’s hormones regulate vital body functions, including:
1) Breathing
2) Heart rate
3) Central and peripheral nervous systems
4) Body weight
5) Muscle strength
6) Menstrual cycles
7) Body temperature
8) Cholesterol levels
9) Much more!
Explain antigens and antibodies and their relationship
Antigens: Substances that react with molecules of the immune system (antibodies, receptors on B and T cells). They are on infectious angents (e.g. viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites), on noninfectious substances from the environment (e.g pollen, foods, or bee venoms), or on drugs, vaccines, transfusions, and transplanted tissues
Antibodies (immunoglobulins Ig): Y-shaped proteins produced by the immune system to help stop intruders (antigens) from harming the body
What is the relationship between antibodies and antigens: When an antigen enters the body, the immune system produces antibodies against it. Antibodies are always Y-shaped. It is like a battle with the army (antibody) fighting off the invader (antigen). A type of white blood cell called a lymphocyte recognizes the antigen as being foreign and produces antibodies that are specific to that antigen. Each antibody has a unique binding site shape which locks onto the specific shape of the antigen. The antibodies destroy the antigen (pathogen) which is then engulfed and digested by macrophages.
List 3 hormones produced by the cortex of the adrenal glands and their functions.
a.
b.
c.
a. Glucocorticoids: Steroid hormones that have metabolic, anti-inflammatory, & growth suppressing effects & influence levels of awareness & sleep patterns
b. Mineralocorticoids: aldosterone: Directly effect ion transport by epithelial cells, causing sodium retention and K+ and hydrogen loss. Aldosterone sodium saver
c. Adrenal androgens and estrogens: male sex hormones mainly dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone. All have weak effects, but play a role in early development of the male sex organs in childhood, and in women during puberty. These are involved in creating and maintaining the differences between men and women.
List 3 functions of the liver.
a.
b.
c.
a. Production of bile, which helps carry away waste and break down fats in the small intestine during digestion
b. Can store large volume of blood. Amount stored at any one time depends on pressure relationship in arteries and veins. Can also release blood to maintain systemic circulatory volume in the event of hemmorrhage
c. Metabolism of nutrients. Fat is synthesized from carbohydrate and protein, primarily in the liver.
How does the thyroid gland work?
The thyroid is part of the endocrine system, which is made up of glands that produce, store, and release hormones into the bloodstream so the hormones can reach the body’s cells. The thyroid gland uses iodine from the foods you eat to make two main hormones:
1) Triiodothyronine (T3)
2) Thyroxine (T4)
It is important that T3 and T4 levels are neither too high nor too low. Two glands in the brain—the hypothalamus and the pituitary communicate to maintain T3 and T4 balance.
