National 5 Biology 2.6 Transport systems: animals

Aorta

main artery carrying oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body

Artery

blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart

Atria

upper chamber of the heart which receives blood from a vein

Biconcave

shape of a red blood cell increasing its surface area

Capillaries

tiny blood vessels with wals one cell thick where exchange of materials occur

Coronary artery

blood vessel carrying oxygenated blood to the heart tissues

Haemoglobin

pigment in red blood cells which carries oxygen

Heart

organ that pumps blood round the body

Heart valves

structures in the heart which prevent the back flow of blood

Immune system

organs and tissues which resist infections

Lymphocytes

white blood cell which produces antibodies capable of destroying specific pathogens

Oxyhaemoglobin

forms in the lungs from oxygen and haemoglobin

Pathogen

disease causing organism (eg some bacteria, fungus or viruses)

Phagocyte

white blood cell which engulfs and digests pathogens

Plasma

liquid part of blood which transports substances and in which cells are suspended

Pulmonary artery

carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs

Pulmonary vein

carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart

Red blood cell

responsible for carrying oxygen round the body (has no nucleus, biconcave shape and full of haemoglobin)

Valve

structure that prevents the backflow of blood, found in the heart and the veins

Vein

blood vessel that carries blood towards the heart

Vena cava

vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart

Ventricles

lower chambers of the heart that take blood from the atria and pump it into the arteries

White blood cells

phagocytes and lymphocytes (part of the immune system)