Cadiovascular System Anatomy Lecture Exam 1

Cardiovascular System

The system that transports blood throughout the body.

Blood Composition

Blood consists of formed elements (cells) and plasma (liquid).

Erythrocytes

Red blood cells that transport respiratory gases in blood.

Leukocytes

White blood cells that defend the body against pathogens.

Platelets

Cell fragments that help in blood clot formation.

Plasma

The fluid portion of blood that contains water, proteins, and solutes.

Transportation (function of blood)

Blood carries oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and waste products.

Protection (function of blood)

Blood protects against pathogens and prevents blood loss.

Regulation (function of blood)

Blood helps maintain homeostasis, including temperature and pH balance.

Viscosity

Blood thickness, approximately 4-5 times thicker than water.

Colloid

A mixture in which one substance of microscopically dispersed insoluble particles is suspended throughout another substance.

Plasma proteins

Proteins present in plasma, which include albumins, globulins, and fibrinogen.

Hemopoiesis

The production of formed elements (blood cells) in red bone marrow.

Hemocytoblasts

Stem cells that can differentiate into various blood cell types.

Erythropoiesis

The process of producing erythrocytes (red blood cells).

Thrombopoiesis

The production of platelets from megakaryocytes.

Leukopoiesis

The production of leukocytes (white blood cells).

Aged erythrocytes

Old red blood cells that are phagocytized by macrophages.

EPO (Erythropoietin)

Hormone that stimulates production of red blood cells in response to low oxygen.

ABO Blood Types

Blood classification based on the presence or absence of antigens A and B on erythrocytes.

Rh factor

An additional blood group classification based on the presence or absence of the Rh antigen.

Agglutination

Clumping of cells, which can occur in blood transfusion reactions.

Diapedesis

The process by which leukocytes squeeze through blood vessel walls to reach tissues.

Chemotaxis

The movement of leukocytes toward chemical signals at an infection site.

Serum

Plasma with clotting proteins removed.

Fibrinogen

A plasma protein that is converted to fibrin during blood coagulation.

Colloid osmotic pressure

Pressure exerted by plasma proteins to keep fluid in the blood vessels.

Endothelial cells

Cells lining the blood vessels that play a role in vascular health.

Vascular spasm

Immediate constriction of blood vessels in response to injury.

Platelet plug formation

The process where platelets adhere to a site of injury to prevent blood loss.

Coagulation phase

Final phase of hemostasis where a blood clot forms from fibrin.

Intrinsic pathway

Coagulation pathway initiated by damage to the blood vessel.

Extrinsic pathway

Coagulation pathway initiated by tissue damage outside the blood vessel.

Hemostasis

The process that prevents and stops bleeding, consisting of vascular spasm, platelet plug formation, and coagulation.

Fibrinolysis

The degradation of fibrin in blood clots.

Electrolytes

Dissolved ions in plasma that help maintain fluid balance.

Nutrients

Substances in blood plasma that provide energy and materials for cellular function.

Respiratory gases

Gases transported in blood, primarily oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Waste products

Metabolic byproducts transported in blood for excretion.

Bilirubin

A breakdown product of hemoglobin that is excreted in bile.

Globulins

A group of plasma proteins involved in transport and immune function.

Albumins

The most abundant plasma proteins, responsible for maintaining osmotic pressure.

Fibrin

An insoluble protein that forms the meshwork of a blood clot.

Transferrin

A protein that transports iron in the bloodstream.

Ferritin

A protein that stores iron in the liver.

Osmotic balance

The balance of solutes that influences the movement of water across cell membranes.