Lecture Notes on the Cardiovascular System, Respiratory System, Nervous System, Senses & Digestive System

Flashcards about the cardiovascular system, blood cells, blood types, heart, blood vessels, respiratory system, the brain, the autonomic nervous system, the senses, and the digestive system.

Cardiovascular system

Heart, Blood Vessels, and Blood

Four functions of blood

Transports oxygen and nutrients, Takes away waste products of cells’ metabolism, Delivers hormones, Regulates body temperature, fluid volume, and pH balance

Two ways blood defends us

White blood cells protect us against infections and diseases, Platelets initiate a clotting mechanism to prevent excessive blood loss

Four components of blood

Red Blood Cells (RBCs) also called hematocrit- (44%), White Blood Cells (WBCs) - (0.5%), Platelets - (0.5%), Plasma - (55%)

Four Functions of Plasma

Carry Nutrients and Hormones, Transports gases, Assist with the clotting process, Maintain blood Volume

Hematocrit Test also called packed cell volume (PCV)

Measures the volume of each blood component, Often used as a measure of the oxygen / RBCs carrying capacity of an individual

Heparin

Prevents Coagulation, or Clumping of blood due to the production of insoluble fibrin

Function of Red Blood Cells also called Erythrocytes

Transports Gases

Function of White Blood Cells also called Leukocytes

Defense

Antigen

Surfaces of erythrocytes from other blood types containing foreign surface proteins

Antibody

Specific plasma proteins, attack on cells identifying as foreign cells

Antigen-Antibody Complex

Incompatible transfusion, Can lead to agglutination (clumping together of RBCs) and hemolysis (rupture of RBCs)

Blood type ABO

Based on the type of antigens on the red blood cells

O Blood Type

“Universal donor”, Doesn’t have either A or B antigens, Does have both A and B antibodies

AB Blood Type

Contains both A and B antigens

RH+

Red blood cells have the RH factor but does not have RH antibodies

RH-

Does not have RH antibodies in the plasma, Exposure to RH+ blood, they will begin to produce RH antibodies

Heart

Provides the pressure to pump blood through the network of blood vessels throughout our body

Blood Vessels

Transports blood to and from each part of our body through the arteries and veins

Cardiac Muscle

Does not connect to bone/skeletal muscle, Contracts continuously to propel blood through the blood vessels to every region of the body

Pericardium

A tough fibrous sac that protects the heart on the outside while anchoring it to surrounding structures

Epicardium

Outermost Layer, Consisting of epithelial and connective tissue

Myocardium

Middle Layer, Consists mainly of the cardiac muscle that forms the bulk of the heart

Endocardium

Innermost Layer, Consists of a thin endothelium resting on a layer of connective tissue

Arita (singular atrium)

Two at the top of the heart

Ventricles (singular ventricle)

Two at the bottom, Separated by the thick interventricular septum

Septum

A muscular partition separating the right and the left side of the heart

Aorta

Body’s largest artery, In between the superior vena cava on the right side and the pulmonary trunk on the left side

Pulmonary Trunk

anterior of the aorta and the pulmonary arteries

Systemic circuit

Systemic arteries: transport oxygen-rich blood from the heart to every part of body

Inferior Vena Cava

Brings blood to the heart from the inferior or lower part of the body, Directly underneath the superior vena cava

Superior Vena Cava

Brings blood to the heart from the superior or upper part of the body

Hindbrain

Consists of the medulla oblongata, the pons, and cerebellum

Right and Left Pulmonary Arteries

Bring oxygen-poor blood to the lungs

Pulmonary Circuit

The system of blood vessels in the lungs

Right and Left Pulmonary Veins

Bring oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart

Pulmonary semilunar valve

Regulates the flow of blood into the pulmonary trunk

Aortic semilunar valve

Regulates the flow of blood into the aorta

Right atrioventricular (AV) valve

Also known as the tricuspid valve

Left atrioventricular (AV) valve

Also known as the mitral or bicuspid valve

Chordae tendineae

Anchor the AV valves to the papillary muscles of the ventricles

Pulse

Refers to the alternating surges of the pressure in an artery

Arteries

Blood vessels that transport blood away from the hear

Veins

Transports blood back to the heart

Capillaries

Smallest diameter and longest length

Pulmonary Circuit

Located in the lungs, Tranports oxygen-poor blood through the lungs, Where the blood gives up carbon dioxide, Picks up a fresh supply of oxygen from the air we inhale

Blood Pressure

Force that blood exerts on the wall of a blood vessels, Its maintenance is crucial to drive the flow of blood throughout the body and force the return of blood to the heart

Systolic Pressure

Highest pressure of the cardiac cycle, which is reached when the ventricles contract to eject blood from the heart, Pressure of the first heart sound

Diastolic Pressure

Occurs when both atria and the ventricles relax and the blood pressure in the chambers of the heart is lower than the blood pressure in the veins, Pressure of the second heart sound

Sphygmomanometer

Measures the changing blood pressure associated with the pulse

The main function of the respiratory system

Provide oxygen to cells and remove carbon dioxide, which is the waste product that cells release upon oxygen use

Respiration

Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide with the air

Pulmonary Ventilation

Also known as breathing

External respiration

Involves gas exchange in the lungs

Upper Respiratory Tract

Nose, Nasal cavity, and pharynx

Lower Respiratory Tract

Larynx, Trachea, Bronchi, and Lungs

Epiglottis

little flexible flab of elastic cartilage located at the opening to the larynx, Temporarily covers up the larynx when it is pulled up as we swallow

External Respiration

Gas exchange in the lungs

Gas exchange takes place across the Respiratory Membrane

Air-blood Barrier

Emphysema

lungs are damaged and the lungs lose their elasticity

Chronic Bronchitis

Excess mucus production and inflammation in the trachea and bronchial tubes

Asthma

Coughing, labored breathing, wheezing, and a tight chest

Neurons

Rapidly transmit information throughout the body

Neuroglia

Supporting cells

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Brain and spinal cord which also referred to as Integration Centers

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Incoming information and response must be carried to and from the appropriate body

Sensory Division

Bring impulses or Action Potentials from receptors to the CNS

Motor Division

Brings action potentials from the CNS to effectors such as muscles and glands

Somatic Divisions

Bring information to skeletal muscles

Autonomic Divisions

Mainly stimulates involuntary structures such as smooth muscle and glands

Myelin

Protects neurons and helps to speed impulse conduction by causing the impulse to skip, rather than slowly flow, down the axon

Unipolar Neurons

One process attached to the cell body

Bipolar Neurons

Rare and found only in certain specialized nervous tissues, Attached to a short dendrite at one end and a short axon at the other end of the cell body

Sensory Neurons

Have cell body attached to an axon with a single, short process

Motor Neurons also called multipolar neurons

Many processes attached to the cell body

Interneurons

Very short motor neurons also considered structurally to be multipolar

Fascicles

Group of axons wrapped

Cervical Nerves

Neck

Thoracic Nerves

Chest Region

Lumbar Nerves

Lower Back

Sacral Nerves

Area of the Sacrum

Spinal Reflex

Direct Connection of sensory and motor neurons in the spinal cord

Integration Center

Brain and Spinal Cord

Dura mater

Tough Outer layer

Arachnoid also known as arachnoid mater

Middle layer

Pia Mater

Soft, Thin layer, lies directly on the brain and spinal cord

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

Produced by specialized capillaries in the brain

Spinal Cord

Huge nerve that carries information to and from the brain

Dorsal Root

Toward the back of the spinal cord and contains the sensory neurons

Dorsal Root Ganglion

Cell bodies of sensory neurons are gathered together just outside the spinal cord in bulging area of the dorsal root

Ventral Root

Toward the front of the spinal cord and contains the axons of motor neurons

White Matter

Packed with myelinated axons that rapidly transmit information to the brain, in ascending tracts, and down from the brain in descending tracts

Gray Matter

Where we find the cell bodies of motor neurons and interneurons, Connections between neurons for effects such as reflexes

Cervical Enlargement and Lumbar Enlargement

Thicker areas, which can handle the extra neuron traffic from the arms and legs

Cauda Equina

Spinal nerves that must exit form the sacrum and lower lumbar region are found projecting down in this are cluster of spinal nerves

Hindbrain

Makes up the brainstem, Consists of the medulla oblongata, the pons, and cerebellum

Medulla Oblongata

Controls autonomic life-support functions, Breathing, Blood pressure, nad heart rate

Pons

Connecting neurons from the spinal cord with higher brain centers

Cerebellum

Coordinates basic and complex movements

Midbrain

Part of the brain stem, along with the pons and medulla oblongata