WGU D313: Cardiovascular System Review Questions with 100% accurate solutions 2026-2027

What is the function of blood?

To transport oxygen & nutrients and remove metabolic waste

What is plasma composed of?

water, plasma proteins, and other solutes

What are the formed components of blood?

red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets

What are red blood cells?

Donut-shaped cells that have no nuclei and contain hemoglobin to transport oxygen.

What are white blood cells?

also called leukocytes with nuclei that defend us from disease. The two main types are phagocytes and lymphocytes.

What are platelets?

tiny, colorless cell fragments in your blood that form clots to stop bleeding

What are hemopoietic growth factors?

A family of signaling proteins (cytokines), that regulate the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of blood cells

What is hemoglobin?

An iron rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of your body.

What are the steps of hemostasis (clotting)?

1. vascular spasm

2. platelet plug formation

3. coagulation

What is the role of red blood cells in CO2 transport?

transport CO2 from body tissues to the lungs primarily by converting it into bicarbonate ions for safe travel in the plasma

Stages of red blood cell life cycle

1. Production (erythropoiesis)

2. Circulation/Maturity

3. Descruction (eryptosis) & recycling

What is the role of white blood cells (leukocytes) in protection from disease?

They patrol the bloodstream and tissues to identify, neutralize, and destroy foreign invaders—such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. They also clear out dead cells and help eliminate mutated cells (like cancer)

What are granulocytes?

They're the most common types of leukocytes: neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils

What are neutrophils?

the most abundant type of leukocyte, first line of defense, destroy invading bacteria & fungi

What are eosinophils?

disease fighting leukocyte, that respond to allergic reactions, parasites, and regulate inflammation

What are basophils?

rarest type of leukocyte, release histamine and heparin to defend against allergens, parasites, and pathogens

What are agranulocytes?

lymphocytes and monocytes

What are monocytes?

largest type of leukocyte (WBC) frontline defender of your immune system

What are lymphocytes?

B cells (tag foreign cells for destruction), T cells (destroy body's own cells that are infected), natural killer cells (eliminate virus infected or tumor cells without activation)

What characteristics of red blood cells identify blood type?

antigens (markers) present on the surface of red blood cells, either Antigen A or Antigen B

What is the ABO system?

the primary classification for human blood catagorized into 4 main types: A, B, AB & O