digestion
series of biochemical reactions that convert large ingested food molecules into small, soluble molecules that can be absorbed by the body
sequence of organs as food passes through
mouth oesophagus stomach small intestine large intestine anus
types of enzymes found in digestive juices
amylase, protease, pancreatic lipase
amylase
salivary glands or pancrease, and produces maltose and glucose
protease
gastric glands and pancrease, produced polypeptides and amino acids
lipase
found in pancrease, produced fatty acids and glycerol
peristalsis
food passes along alimentary canal via longitudinal and circular muscles (antagonistic pair)
villi structure
columnar epithelial cells, capillaries, lacteal, smooth muscle, arteriole and venule
arteries
carry blood under high pressure, have strong muscle and elastic fibres, only 2 have valves, and are large with narrow lumen
veins
carry blood at low pressure, contain few muscles and elastic fibres, have some valves preventing backflow, thin walls and wide lumen
capillaries
carry blood under low pressure, walls are only one cell thick, no valves, diameter is 5 micrometres
direction of blood flow, starting at RA
vena cava brings deoxygenated blood into RA, passes into RV through valve (bi), blood pumped through PA; oxygenated returns via PV into LA, into LV through valve (tri), into aorta to body
sinoatrial node
pacemaker of heartbeat, located in wall of right atrium; sends signals to atriums and atrioventricular node, which signals to ventricles
how does heart rate change
nerves of medulla connected to SA node; increases as active and decreases as resting; emotions can cause adrenal glands to release adrenalin to stimulate
cardiac cycle
sequence of events that takes place during one heartbeat
systole
contraction of the muscles of a chamber of the heart
diastole
relaxation of muscles of heart
pathogens
living organisms or viruses that cause disease. Most are bacteria and viruses but fungi and parasitic worms can also be pathogenic
first line of defence
unbroken skin prevents pathogens from entering the body at first, but openins in body are protected by mucous membranes that contain enzymes to attack
when skin is cut
clotting factors released from platelets and damaged tissue cells, prothrombin is turned into thrombin, which activated soluble fibrinogen with insoluble fibrin that creates a mesh to stop blood
antigen
protein found in membrane or cell wall of a bacterium that enables the body to recognise the pathogen
antibodies
proteins that are produced by lymphocytes in response to antigens.
what triggers antibody production
antigens stimulate cell division of lymphocytes that produce specific antibody; a clone of them is plasma cells that secretes antibody
how do antibodies kill pathogens?
cause bacterial cells to clump (agglutination), cause cell walls to rupture, prevent viruses from attaching to host cells
antibiotics
kill or block bacterial growth. Some: block protein synthesis inside, prevent cell wall formation, rupture membrane or inhibit enzymes
ventilation
maintains a concentration gradience of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air in the alveoli and blood in capillaries
pneumocytes
type 1 are adapted to gas exchange (flattened and thing), and type 2 create a moist surface (pulmonary surfactant)
inhalation
lung pressure reduced, thorax volume increased, vacuum createrd. Diaphragm contracts to flatten, external intercostal muscles contract to raise ribs
exhalation
lung pressure increased, air forced out, internal intercostal muscles contract to lower ribs, abs contract and diaphragm relaxes, to reduce volume of thorax and force air out
lung cancer
tumours take up space in lungs, prevent gas exchanged and strain the heart (mitosis processes disturbed)
emphysema
small alveoli replaced with larger air sacs of thick and unelastic walls
neuron
a nerve cell that transmits electrical impulses along its length to the next neuron until it reaches a muscle
resting potential
the potential difference across the plasma membrane of a neuron when an impulse is not being transmitted. For most this is 70mV
action potential
rapid change in the membrane potential. It consists of two stages: depolarisation and repolarisation