The Circulatory System: Blood

These flashcards cover the key vocabulary terms related to the circulatory system and blood, based on the lecture notes.

Hematology

The study of blood.

Erythrocytes

Red blood cells (RBCs) responsible for transporting oxygen.

Leukocytes

White blood cells (WBCs) involved in immune response.

Platelets

Cell fragments that play a crucial role in blood clotting.

Hemopoiesis

The production of blood, particularly its formed elements.

Plasma

The liquid matrix of blood that contains water, proteins, and other solutes.

Hematocrit

The percentage of blood volume composed of red blood cells.

Coagulation

The process of blood clotting.

Vascular spasm

The immediate response to blood vessel injury resulting in constriction.

Erythropoietin

Hormone produced by the kidneys that stimulates red blood cell production.

Osmolarity

The total molarity of dissolved particles that cannot pass through blood vessel walls.

Antigens

Molecules on the surface of cells that trigger an immune response.

Antibodies

Proteins produced by plasma cells that bind to specific antigens.

Agglutination

The clumping of red blood cells due to antibody-antigen interactions.

Thrombus

A blood clot that forms in a blood vessel.

Embolism

A blockage of a blood vessel due to a traveling clot or mass.

Sepsis

A widespread infection of body tissues, potentially leading to septicemia.

Fibrinogen

A plasma protein that is converted into fibrin during coagulation.

Hemoglobin

The oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells.

Polycythemia

An excess of red blood cells in the bloodstream.

Anemia

A condition characterized by insufficient red blood cells or hemoglobin.

Sickle-cell disease

A hereditary condition affecting hemoglobin structure, causing red blood cells to become rigid.

Blood types

Classification based on the presence of antigens on red blood cells.

Agranulocytes

A type of white blood cell without granules, including lymphocytes and monocytes.

Granulocytes

White blood cells with specific granules, including neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils.

Eosinophils

Type of white blood cell involved in combating parasitic infections.

Basophils

Type of white blood cell that secretes histamine and heparin.

Neutrophils

The most abundant type of white blood cell, key in fighting infections.

Reticulocyte

An immature red blood cell that is the precursor to erythrocytes.

Lymphocytes

White blood cells vital for adaptive immunity.

Monocytes

Largest type of white blood cell that differentiate into macrophages.

Centrifuge

A device used to separate components of blood based on density.

Hemostasis

The process of stopping bleeding through clot formation.

Iron metabolism

The processes involved in iron absorption, transport, and storage in the body.

Thalassemia

An inherited blood disorder that affects hemoglobin production.

Vitamin K

A vitamin essential for synthesizing clotting factors in the liver.

Blood viscosity

The resistance of blood to flow; influenced by red blood cells and plasma proteins.

Hypoxemia

Low oxygen levels in the blood.

Edema

Swelling caused by excess fluid in the interstitial tissues.

Clot retraction

The process of blood clot contraction to minimize blood loss.

Hemophilia

A genetic disorder that affects the blood's ability to clot.

Buffy coat

The layer of white blood cells and platelets in a centrifuged sample of blood.

Transferrin

A plasma protein that transports iron in the blood.

Fibrinolysis

The process of breaking down a blood clot.

Macrophages

Large white blood cells that engulf and digest pathogens and cellular debris.

Vitamin B12

Essential for normal red blood cell production and function.

Copper

A trace mineral that serves as a cofactor in hemoglobin synthesis.

Electrolytes

Minerals in the blood that help regulate fluid balance and nerve function.

Septicemia

A severe blood infection that can lead to systemic inflammatory response.

Congenital disorders

Blood disorders present at birth, often due to genetic conditions.

Leukopenia

A condition characterized by low white blood cell count.

Gastroferritin

A protein that binds iron in the gastrointestinal tract to facilitate its absorption.

Apoferritin

The protein shell that stores iron within ferritin without the iron itself.

Ferritin

A complex of apoferritin and iron that serves as a major storage form of iron in the body.

Biliverden

A green bile pigment produced from the breakdown of heme.

Bilirubin

A yellow bile pigment resulting from the breakdown of biliverden; excess can lead to jaundice.

Urobilinogen

A colorless compound produced from bilirubin; it is later converted to urobilin and excreted in urine.

Albumin

The most abundant plasma protein that helps maintain osmotic pressure and transports substances.

Globulin

A group of proteins in blood plasma that play roles in immune response and transport.

Globin

4 protein chains, 2 Alpha and 2 Beta

Heme

Non-protein that binds O2 to Fe2+ at its center

Myeloblasts

Immature cells that develop into granulocytes, a type of white blood cell.

Monoblasts

Immature cells that develop into monocytes, a type of white blood cell.

Lymphoblasts

Immature cells that develop into lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell.

Leukocytosis

An increase in the number of white blood cells in the blood.

Leukemia

A type of cancer that affects blood and bone marrow, characterized by the overproduction of abnormal white blood cells.

Myeloleukemia

A type of leukemia involving Granulocytes.

Lympholeukemia

A type of leukemia involving Agranulocytes.

Thrombosis

The formation of a blood clot within a blood vessel.

Pulmonary Embolism

A blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries in the lungs, usually due to blood clots that travel to the lungs from the legs.

Infarction

Tissue death (necrosis) resulting from a lack of blood supply.

Histamine

A chemical released by mast cells and basophils during tissue damage, inflammatory, and allergic reactions that causes blood vessels to dilate

Heparin

An anticoagulant substance produced by mast cells and basophils that inhibits blood clotting by preventing the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin.