Circulatory System Test Review Guid

Blood

A liquid connective tissue made of plasma and formed elements, carrying oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues of the body

Plasma

The clear, yellowish, fluid part of the blood that carries the blood cells

Formed elements

• Erythrocytes

• Leukocytes

• Thrombocytes

Erythrocytes

Red blood cells

Leukocytes

White blood cells

Thrombocytes

Platelets

Red blood cell function

Responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and organs. They also carry carbon dioxide, a waste product, back to the lungs for exhalation. Red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin, which binds to oxygen and allows it to be transported throughout the body

White blood function

Part of the immune system and play a crucial role in defending the body against infection. There are several types of white blood cells, each with a specialized function in fighting off pathogens and other foreign substances

Platelet function

Play a crucial role in blood clotting. When a blood vessel is damaged, platelets gather at the site of injury and form a clot to help stop bleeding and prevent excessive blood loss.

Red blood cell composition

Primarily composed of hemoglobin, a protein responsible for carrying oxygen

White blood cell composition

Composed of granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils) and non-granulocytes (lymphocytes and monocytes)

Platelet composition

Composed of small, disc-shaped fragments of larger cells called megakaryocytes

Bone marrow

Where blood cells are made.

Hemoglobin function

Picks up oxygen from the air we breathe and deliver it everywhere in the body

Anemia

A reduction in oxygen-carrying capacity

Anemia causes

• Low hematocrit

• Low hemoglobin content in RBCs

Anemia symptoms

• Muscle fatigue and weakness

• Lack of energy in general

EPO

Erythropoietin; stimulates red blood cell production in response to low partial pressure of oxygen (pO2)

Blood Type

The classification of blood based on the presence or absence of specific antigens on the surface of red blood cells

Antigens

A molecule, often a protein or carbohydrate, found on the surface of red blood cells; determine a person's blood type

Antibodies

A protein made by plasma cells (a type of white blood cell) in response to an antigen

Thrombocytopenia

When platelet levels are low, it can make it harder for blood to clot properly after an injury, leading to increased bleeding, bruising, or even internal bleeding

Pulmonary Circulation

Moves blood between the heart and lungs

Systemic Circulation

Moves blood between the heart and the rest of the body

Capillaries

Smallest blood vessels in the body, connecting arteries and veins

Arteries

Carry blood away from heart chambers

Veins

Return blood to heart

Why arteries and veins have different wall thicknesses

Arteries and arterioles have thicker walls than veins and venules because they are closer to the heart and receive blood that is surging at a far greater pressure

How water and solutes not reabsorbed by capillaries are able to return to the bloodstream

The lymphatic system collects excess fluid and proteins that have leaked out of capillaries into the interstitial spaces (tissue spaces) and then returns them to the bloodstream through the subclavian veins.

The reason that blood pressure is measured in arteries

The pressure generated by the heart pumping blood into the arteries is the primary force that drives blood circulation throughout the body

The instrument used to measure blood pressure

Sphygmomanometer/blood cuff

Systolic Pressure

First number; It measures the pressure your blood is pushing against your artery walls when the heart beats.

Diastolic Pressure

Second number; It measures the pressure your blood is pushing against your artery walls while the heart muscle rests between beats