Respiratory System & Lymphatic System Flashcards
What is the primary function of the respiratory system?
To acquire oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the blood.
Name the two regions of the respiratory tract.
Upper respiratory tract (nose to larynx) and lower respiratory tract (trachea to alveoli).
What are the two zones of the respiratory system?
Conducting zone (ventilation) and respiratory zone (gas exchange).
What is the role of the nasal cavity?
It cleans, humidifies, and warms air and houses the olfactory epithelium.
What are the three regions of the pharynx?
Nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx.
What prevents food from entering the larynx during swallowing?
The epiglottis.
What is the function of the trachea’s C-shaped cartilage rings?
To maintain an open airway.
What is the primary site of gas exchange in the respiratory system?
The alveoli.
What cells produce surfactant in the alveoli?
Type II pneumocytes.
What law explains the relationship between pressure and volume in the lungs?
Boyle’s Law.
What is the term for the amount of air exchanged during normal breathing?
Tidal volume
What structure separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities?
The diaphragm.
What is the role of the pleural fluid?
To lubricate and hold the pleural membranes together.
What is lung compliance?
The ease with which the lungs and thorax expand.
How is oxygen primarily transported in the blood?
Bound to hemoglobin in red blood cells.
What controls the basic rhythm of respiration?
The medulla oblongata.
What condition results from inflammation of the vocal cords?
Laryngitis.
What is the term for the maximum volume of air exhaled after a deep breath?
Vital capacity.
How does the body regulate blood pH through the respiratory system?
By exhaling carbon dioxide, which reduces acidity
What part of the brain is responsible for conscious control of breathing?
The cerebral cortex.
What are the main components of the lymphatic system?
Lymphatic vessels, lymphoid tissues, and lymphoid organs.
What is the fluid in lymphatic vessels called?
Lymph.
Name three functions of the lymphatic system.
Fluid balance, lipid absorption, and defense.
What specialized lymph capillaries absorb dietary fats?
Lacteals.
What structures filter lymph?
Lymph nodes.
Which lymphatic duct drains most of the body?
The thoracic duct.
What are Peyer’s patches?
Lymphoid tissue in the small intestine that prevents bacterial invasion.
What organ is responsible for T cell maturation?
The thymus.
What are the two distinct areas of the spleen?
White pulp (immune functions) and red pulp (removal of old RBCs).
What are the primary lymphoid organs?
Bone marrow and thymus.
What is the role of the tonsils?
To trap and destroy bacteria and particulate matter.
What is innate immunity?
The non-specific defense mechanism that responds immediately to pathogens.
What cells are responsible for antibody production?
B cells.
What are the two pathways for complement activation?
Classical (adaptive) and alternative (innate).
What is the function of interferons?
To prevent viral replication in neighboring cells.
Name a phagocytic cell in the lungs.
Dust cells.
What are the four signs of inflammation?
Redness, heat, swelling, and pain.
What is the adaptive immune system characterized by?
Specificity, memory, and systemic action.
What is the primary immune response?
The initial reaction to an antigen involving antibody production.
What molecule is responsible for presenting antigens to T cells?
Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC).
What are the five classes of antibodies?
IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, and IgD.
What cells are involved in cell-mediated immunity?
T cells.
What is immunological memory?
The ability of the immune system to respond more rapidly to a previously encountered antigen.
What is tolerance in the immune system?
The suppression of immune response to self-antigens.
What causes autoimmune diseases?
The immune system attacking the body’s own tissues.
What is hypersensitivity?
An exaggerated immune response to a harmless antigen.
How do natural killer (NK) cells function?
By lysing virus-infected and tumor cells.
What is the role of macrophages in immunity?
To engulf and digest pathogens and present antigens to T cells.
What is the significance of the thymus in childhood?
It is active in T cell development and immune function.
How do vaccines work?
By stimulating the immune system to create memory cells for specific antigens.
