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)