Transport in Animals Flashcards
Specialised transport systems are needed due to many reasons, one of which is the high metabolic demands of the organism. Explain what this means.
Metabolic demands are high so diffusion over the long distances is not enough to supply the quantities needed.
Specialised transport systems are needed due to many reasons, one of which is the small SA:V ratio of the organism. Explain what this means.
Not only do the diffusion distances get bigger but the amount of surface area available to absorb or remove substances becomes relatively smaller.
Specialised transport systems are needed due to many reasons, one of which is the need for particular hormones and enzymes in specific places. Explain what this means.
Molecules such as hormones and enzymes may only be produced in one location in the body but needed in another.
Specialised transport systems are needed due to many reasons, one of which is the removal of waste products. Explain what this means.
Waste products of the cells need to be removed from the cell and transported to excretory organs.
Name some things transported by the body in specialised circulatory systems.
Oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, waste products and hormones.
What are the common features of most circulatory systems?
A liquid transport medium, vessels to carry the medium, a pumping mechanism to move the fluid around the system.
What is meant by the term mass transport system?
When substances are transported in a mass of fluid with a mechanism for moving the fluid around the body.
True or false? In an open circulatory system, there are very few vessels to contain the transport medium.
True
Describe the processes that occur in an open circulatory system.
The transport medium is pumped straight from the heart into the body cavity of the animal. The transport medium is under low pressure. It comes into direct contact with the tissues and the cells. This is where exchange takes place between the transport medium and the cells. the transport medium then returns to the heart through an open-ended vessel.
What is the blood in insects called?
Haemolymph
What can/can’t haemolymph transport?
It doesn’t carry oxygen or carbon dioxide. It transports food and nitrogenous waste products and the cells involved in defence against diseases.
Describe the structure of the body cavity of an insect including the location of the heart.
The body cavity is split by a membrane and the heart extends along the length of the thorax and the abdomen of the insect
True or false? The haemolymph circulates but steep diffusion gradients can’t be maintained for efficient diffusion. The amount of haemolymph flowing to a particular tissue cannot be varied to meet changing demands.
True!
Where is the blood found in a closed circulatory system?
The blood is enclosed in blood vessels and does not come directly into contact with the cells of the body.
In a closed circulatory system, why can the blood travel relatively quickly?
Because the heart pumps the blood around the body under pressure.
How do substances leave and enter the blood in a closed circulatory system?
By diffusion through the walls of the blood vessels.
In a closed circulatory system, how can the amount of blood flowing to a particular tissue be adjusted?
By widening or narrowing blood vessels.
In most closed circulatory systems, how are the respiratory gases carried?
Most closed circulatory systems contain a blood pigment that carries the respiratory gases.
Give some examples of where a closed circulatory system can be found.
Echinoderms (sea urchins and starfish), cephalopod molluscs (including the octopods and squid), annelid worms and all of the vertebrate groups.
Where does the blood flow in a single closed circulatory system?
Blood flows through the heart and is pumped out to travel all around the body before returning to the heart.
Where might a single closed circulatory system be found?
In fish and annelid worms.
How many sets of capillaries does the blood pass through in a single closed circulatory system?
It passes through two sets of capillaries before it returns to the heart.
What happens to the blood in the two capillaries?
In the first capillary it exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide. In the second set of capillaries in the different organ systems, substances are exchanged between the blood and the cells
Explain why the blood flows back to the heart quite slowly in a single closed circulatory system.
As a result of the blood passing through the two sets of very narrow vessels, the blood pressure in the system drops considerably and so the blood returns to the heart at a much slower rate.
Why is a single closed circulatory system not efficient? What effect does this have?
Because on the way back to the heart, the blood travels slower. The activity of animals with single closed circulatory systems tends to be relatively low.
True or false? Fish have a relatively efficient single circulatory system which allows them to be very active.
True
What feature allows fish to be very active?
They have a countercurrent gaseous exchange mechanism in their gils that allows them to take a lot of oxygen from the water.
Give one example of an adaptation fish have other than a counter current mechanism that reduces the metabolic demands on the bodies.
Their body weight is supported by the water in which they live and they also do not maintain their own body temperature.
Give some examples of where a double closed circulatory system can be found.
In birds and most mammals
True or false? A double closed circulatory system is the most efficient system for transporting substances around the body
True
Describe the two circuits the blood travels in a double closed circulatory system.
Blood is pumped from the heart to the lungs to pick up oxygen and unload carbon dioxide, and then returns to the heart. Blood then flows through the heart and is pumped out to travel all around the body before returning to the heart again.
In a double closed circulatory system, how many capillary networks does the blood pass through? What does this mean?
The blood passes through one capillary network. This means a relatively high pressure and fast flow of blood can be maintained.
What are the three main components of blood vessels?
Elastic fibres, smooth muscle and collagen.
Describe the structure and function of elastic fibres.
These are composed of elastin and can stretch and recoil providing the vessel walls with flexibility.
Describe the structure and function of smooth muscle.
Contracts or relaxes, which changes the size of the lumen.
What is the function of collagen.
Provides structural support to maintain the shape and volume of the vessel
What is the function of arteries?
Arteries carry blood away from the heart to the tissues of the body.
What do arteries carry? What are the exceptions?
Oxygenated blood except for the pulmonary artery which carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs and the umbilical artery.
Is blood in the arteries under higher or lower pressure than the blood in the veins?
Higher pressure
Describe how the elastic fibres in the artery walls help it to perform its function.
Elastic fibres enable them to withstand the force of the blood pumped out of the heart and stretch to take the larger blood volume. In between the contractions of the heart, the elastic fibres recoil which helps to even out the surges of blood pumped from the heart.
Why is the lining of an artery (its endothelium) smooth?
To enable the blood to flow easily over it.
What is the role of arterioles?
Arterioles link the arteries and the capillaries.
How does the structure of an arteriole differ from an artery? Why?
They have more smooth muscle and less elastin. They have little pulse surge but can constrict or dilate to control the flow of blood into individual organs.
What is the purpose of smooth muscle in the arteriole? What is the name of these processes?
When the smooth muscle contracts, it constricts the vessel and prevents blood flowing into the capillary bed. It is called vasoconstriction. When the smooth muscle in the wall of an arteriole relaxes, blood flows through into the capillary bed. This is vasodilation.
What are capillaries?
Microscopic blood vessels that link the arterioles with the venues and they form an extensive network through all the tissues of the body.
Why is the lumen of a capillary small?
SO that red blood cells have to travel through in single file.
How are substances exchanged through capillaries?
Substances are exchanged through the capillary walls between the tissue cells and the blood. The gaps between the endothelial cells that make up the capillary walls in most areas of the body are relatively large.
Do capillaries carry oxygenated or oxygenated blood?
Blood entering the capillaries from the arterioles is oxygenated. By the time it leaves the capillaries for the venues it has less oxygen and more carbon dioxide.
What are the three adaptations of capillaries to their role?
The provide a very large surface area for the diffusion of substances in and out. They have a large cross sectional area than the arterioles so rate of blood flow falls. This allows time for exchange to take place by diffusion. The walls are a single endothelial cell thick so it is a thin layer for diffusion
What is the function of veins?
The veins carry blood away from the cells of the body towards the heart.
Do veins carry oxygenated or deoxygenated blood? What are the exceptions?
They carry deoxygenated blood except for the pulmonary vein and the umbilical vein.
Where does the deoxygenated blood flow after the capillaries?
Into venules then the veins and finally the inferior vena cava.
Why do veins not have a pulse?
The surges from the heart pumping are lost as the blood passes through the narrow capillaries.
What percentage of your blood is in your veins at any one time?
60%
Describe the blood pressure in the veins.
The blood pressure of veins is low compared with the pressure in the arteries.
What is the function of veins having valves?
To prevent the back flow of blood.
Explain why the blood flows easily through the veins.
The walls contain a lot of collagen and relatively little elastic fibre. The vessels have a wide lumen and a smooth thin lining so the blood flows easily through it.
What is the function of venules?
They link the capillaries with veins.
What is the structure of venules?
They have very thin walls with just a little smooth muscle. Several venues form a vein.
What is one problem with the deoxygenated blood needing to be returned to the heart to be sent to the lungs to become oxygenated again?
The blood is under low pressure and needs to be moved against the force of gravity.
Explain what the valves in the veins are and how they work.
They are flaps or infolding of the inner lining of the vein. When blood flows in the direction of the heart, the valves open. If the blood starts flowing backwards, the valves close to prevent back flow.
Explain why most of the bigger veins run in the big active muscles.
When the muscles contract, they squeeze the veins and force the blood towards the heart.
How does the breathing action help move the blood towards the heart?
The chest acts as a pump. The pressure changes and the squeezing actions move blood in the veins of the chest and abdomen towards the heart.
What is the name of the yellow liquid in the blood that carries dissolved glucose and amino acids, mineral ions, hormones and other large proteins?
Plasma
What is the role of albumin in the body?
It is important for maintaining the osmotic potential of the blood
What is the role of fibrinogen in the body?
It is important for blood clotting.
What are globulins involved in?
They are involved in transport and the immune system
What is the main role of red blood cells?
They carry oxygen to the cells.
What are platelets? Where do they come from? What do they do?
Platelets are fragments of large cells called megakaryocytes found in the red bone marrow and are involved in the clotting mechanism of the blood.
What percentage of blood by volume does plasma make up?
55%