Blood and Genetics Mini-Unit

What are the three main functions of blood?

transport, regulations, and protection

What does blood transport?

oxygen and nutrients, carbon dioxide and wastes, etc.

What does blood regulate?

body temperature, pH

How does blood protect?

white blood cells and blood clotting

What are the two main parts of blood?

plasma and cells

What is plasma composed of?

water and others (nutrients, wastes, hormones, anitbodies)

What percentage of plasma is water?

90%

What percentage of plasma is other components?

10%

What percentage of blood is plasma?

55%

What percentage of blood is cells?

45%

What cells are in blood?

red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets

What is the average amount of blood in a human body?

5 liters (11 pints)

What color is plasma?

a straw colored liquid

What does blood carry?

products of digestion (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, glucose, etc.), hormones, and wastes to the kidneys

What cell are erythrocytes?

red blood cells

How many red blood cells are replaced every second?

2 million

What do red blood cells mainly transport?

oxygen (oxyhemoglobin) and carbon dioxide

What is sickle cell anemia?

an inherited conditions where cells become sickle shaped

What are 3 characteristics of iron deficiency anemia?

1. too few RBC or insufficient hemoglobin

2. low iron, low vitamin B12, low folic acid

3. cells don’t get anough oxygen

What cells are leukocytes?

white blood cells

What are is the main function of white blood cells

immunity

What is phagocytosis?

white blood cells can surround, engulf, and digest microorganisms and can increase during and infection

How do white blood cells provide immunity?

they release antibodies which can destory baceria and viruses

What are signs of an infection?

redness, warmth, pain, and/or swelling

What is lukemia?

a form of blood cancer where there is an uncontrolled increase in the number of WBCs

What are symptoms of lukemia?

WBCs function incorrectly and patients are usually anemic andhave impaired clotting

What are platelets?

cell fragments

What is the process of a blood clots starting with the vessel is damaged

the vessel constricts → platelet plug forms → clotting factors are released → several chemical reactions occur: fibrinogen is converted into fibrin which are protein threads that trap the cells and forms a blood clot

What are two clotting problems?

hemophilia and vitamin K deficiency

What is hemophilia?

an inherited problem where there isn’t enough clotting

What is a vitamin K deficiency

a lack of vitamin K which is needed for chemical reactions

What do genetics explain?

how:

1. traits are passed down

2. controlled

3. vary from generation to generation

Who is the “father of genetics”?

Gregor Mendel (1840s)

What is an allele?

genes for the same trait on the same chromosomes

What does homozygous mean?

both alleles are identical

What does heterozygous mean?

the two alleles for a trait are different

What is a dominant allele?

in heterozygous, the dominant gene is expressed

What is a recessive allele?

in heterozygous, recessive allele

What is a genotype?

the genetic makeup of genes present (ex. tt, Tt, TT)

What is a phenotype?

The appearance of gene expression (ex. tall or short)

What 4 blood types are there?

A, B, AB, and O

What antigens does blood produce in correspondance to their blood type?

the same (ex. type A produces type A antigens)

What antibodies does blood produce in correspondance to their blood type?

the opposite (ex. type A produces type B antibodies)

What blood type is the universal recipient?

type AB

What blood type is the universal donor?

type O

What are blood types determined by?

antigens

How does Rh+ differ from Rh-?

Rh+ has an extra protein whereas Rh- lacks the protein.

What is more universal: Rh+ or Rh-?

Rh-

What is the function of water within plasma?

the solvent for carrying other substances

What is the function of ions (blood eloctrolytes) within plasma?

osmotic balance, pH buffering, and regulation of membrane permeability

What are all of the plasma’s proteins?

albumin, fibrinogen, and iimunoglobulins (antibodies)

What is the role of fibrinogen?

aids in blood clotting

What is the role of anitbodies?

fight disease

What is the role of albumin?

regulate osmosis between capillaries and tissues

What substances are carried by blood?

nutrients (such as glucose, fatty acids, vitamins), waste products of metabolism, respiratory gases (O2 and CO2), and hormones

What are the 5 types of white blood cells?

basophil, eosinophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, neutrophil

Do red blood cells lack a nucleus?

yes

Do red blood cells contain hemoglobin?

yes

Where are red blood cells formed?

in the bone marrrow

What shape does a red blood cell make?

bioconcave discs

How long do red blood cells live for?

120 days

Do white blood cells lack a nucleus?

no

Do white blood cells contain hemoglobin?

no

Where are white blood cells formed?

bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen

What shape does a white blood cell make?

spherical

How long do white blood cells live for?

may live several years

How many different types of white blood cells are there?

5

Can red blood cells leave the capillary?

no

Can white blood cells leave the capillary?

yes

What is phagocytosis?

when white blood cells surround, engulf, and digest microorganisms (more WBC produced during infection because more foreign particles to destroy)

How are traits controlled?

by a pair of genes found on chromosomes

What is the law of segregation?

gene pairs seperate when forming gametes (sex cells)

What is agglutination

the clumping together of particles when antibodies bind to specific antigens on their surfaces