Topic 1 - Blood Flashcards
What are the main functions of blood?
To be a transport system, regulatory system and defense system
What does blood transport? (explain in details how the transport system works)
It transports:
oxygen
nutrients
essential compounds (anything a cell requires)
waste products (excreted from the lungs or kidneys)
hormones
white blood cells
red blood cells
platelets
What is the regulatory system?
It controls the body temperature, tissue fluid content, blood pH
What is the ideal pH level of blood, and what can influence it?
The ideal blood pH is 7.4 (more basic). Waste products are acid (ex: lactic acid) and the content of CO2 (more of it - more acid) impact the pH
What is the defense system made of (2 components)?
The body’s immunity (white blood cells) and platelets (for clotting factor)
How do white blood cells work?
They spot the ineffective cells and tell them to die by interacting with them, it causes a cascade effect which leads to the death of the bad cell
Why is calcium essential, and how does the body react to its excess?
For bone structures, heart contraction and muscle contractions. When there is excess, hormones will make it go to the bones as a reserve instead of it staying around the heart
What type of tissue is blood considered?
A connective tissue
What is blood composed of before centrifugation?
Plasma and formed elements
What is plasma composed of?
Plasma is composed of 90% water and dissolved components:
1) dissolved solids - proteins, glucose, amino acids, electrolytes, various enzymes, antibodies, hormones, metabolic waste
2) dissolved gases - O2,CO2, nitrogen
What is serum in blood composition?
When blood is centrifuged, the serum is the plasma minus the proteins involved in clot formation (ex: fibrinogen)
What are formed elements (specific)?
Cells or cell fragments (platelets) which include:
- Red blood cells (erythrocytes)
- White blood cells (leukocytes)
- Cell fragments (platelets)
- Complete cells (thrombocytes involved in blood coagulation)
After centrifugation, what is the blood composition?
55% - Plasma (the least dense component)
<1% - Buffy coat (leukocytes and platelets
45% - Erythrocytes (the most dense component)
After centrifugation, what does formed elements include?
The buffy coat and erythrocytes since it’s the cells (white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets)
What happens to your plasma when you are dehydrated?
The blood volume decreases
After centrifugation, where are antibodies found, and what are they?
In the plasma, they are protein secreted by white blood cells
What is the shape of the activated form of the platelets?
Its cytoplasm is stretched, which causes it to make cedopods (little arms)
Explain how the area around an injury is usually red and warm to the touch?
When an injury occurs (ex: a cut), white blood cells around it secrete molecules which informs the blood vessels to enlarge. The enlargement increases the blood flow, allowing more white blood cells to help repair the injury. The increase in blood flow results in increased temperature and redness
Do dissolved gases in the plasma need energy for input/output?
No, the exchange of gases depends on the concentration levels
What are the differences in plasma volume in animals, and what do they highlight?
In smaller animals such as cats, they have smaller red blood cells which results in a higher % of plasma in blood samples
While bigger animals, such as dogs, have bigger red blood cells resulting in a smaller % of plasma in the blood sample
What specific proteins are dissolved in the plasma?
Albumin, globulin and fibrinogen
What is the purpose of albumin in the blood plasma (in animals and general)?
In animals, drugs are carried in the plasma by binding to proteins like albumin
In general, albumin helps maintain blood pressure and fluid levels
What are the 5 types of white cells?
Neutrophils, Lymphocytes (type B and T). Monocytes, Eosinophils and Basophils
How does the plasma change in a dehydrated patient?
The color will be a deeper yellow because constituents are more concentrated
