Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology: Blood

Comprehensive review flashcards covering blood composition, physical characteristics, formed elements, homeostasis, and blood grouping.

What are the four primary substances transported by blood throughout the body?

Nutrients, wastes, hormones, and body heat

Blood is categorized as what type of tissue?

Connective tissue

What are the two major components that make up blood?

Formed elements (living cells) and plasma (nonliving fluid matrix)

In a separated blood sample, what is the 'buffy coat' and what does it contain?

A thin, whitish layer between the erythrocytes and plasma containing leukocytes and platelets

What is the term for the percentage of blood volume that is composed of erythrocytes?

Hematocrit

What is the normal pH range of human blood?

Between $7.35$ and $7.45$

What is the average blood temperature in a human?

$38^{\circ}C$ ($100.4^{\circ}F$)

Which plasma protein is primarily responsible for acting as a blood buffer and contributing to osmotic pressure?

Albumin

What is the difference between acidosis and alkalosis?

Acidosis is when blood becomes too acidic, and alkalosis is when blood becomes too alkaline

How do erythrocytes differ structurally from most other cells in the human body?

They are anucleate (no nucleus), lack mitochondria, and are shaped like biconcave discs

How many oxygen molecules can a single hemoglobin molecule bind?

$$4$$

What is anemia?

A decrease in the oxygen-carrying ability of the blood

Which type of anemia is caused by a genetic defect leading to sharp, crescent-shaped hemoglobin?

Sickle cell anemia (SCA)

What is polycythemia and what is its effect on blood?

An excessive increase in RBCs that slows blood flow and increases blood viscosity

Define diapedesis and positive chemotaxis in relation to leukocytes.

Diapedesis is the ability to move into and out of blood vessels; positive chemotaxis is the response to chemicals released by damaged tissues

List the five types of white blood cells in order from most to least abundant.

Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Eosinophils, Basophils

Which leukocyte is specifically responsible for killing parasitic worms?

Eosinophils

What is the function of platelets and from which cells do they originate?

They are needed for blood clotting and are fragments of multinucleate cells called megakaryocytes

Where does hematopoiesis occur and what is the name of the common stem cell involved?

It occurs in red bone marrow (myeloid tissue) and originates from hemocytoblasts

What is the average lifespan of a red blood cell?

$100$ to $120$ days

Which hormone controls the rate of erythrocyte production and which organ produces most of it?

Erythropoietin, produced mostly by the kidneys

What are the three phases of hemostasis?

$1.$ Vascular spasms, $2.$ platelet plug formation, and $3.$ coagulation

During coagulation, which enzyme converts soluble fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin?

Thrombin

What is the difference between a thrombus and an embolus?

A thrombus is a clot that persists in an unbroken vessel, while an embolus is a thrombus that has broken away and floats freely in the bloodstream

Which hereditary bleeding disorder is characterized by the absence of normal clotting factors?

Hemophilia

What defines Type O blood in the ABO blood group system?

The lack of both antigen A and antigen B

Why is blood type AB considered the 'universal recipient'?

It contains both A and B antigens and lacks anti-A or anti-B antibodies in the plasma

What condition can occur during a second pregnancy if an $Rh^{-}$ mother carries an $Rh^{+}$ baby?

Hemolytic disease of the newborn

When does the bone marrow take over hematopoiesis during fetal development?

By the seventh month