Blood Physiology Cont. Flashcards

These vocabulary flashcards cover white blood cell physiology, platelet function, hemostasis, various types of anemia and blood disorders, blood typing, and the anatomical coverings of the heart based on the lecture transcript.

Chemotaxis

The process where chemical signals released by damaged tissues or bacteria attract white blood cells to an injured or infected area.

Margination

The step in white blood cell physiology where the cells line up along the inner lining or margin of the blood vessel in preparation to leave circulation.

Diapedesis

The process by which white blood cells literally go through the capillary wall to enter the interstitial tissue spaces of a damaged area.

Lymphocytes

The only type of white blood cells that have the ability to recirculate by reentering the blood vessel from the interstitial spaces.

Thrombocytes

The technical name for platelets, which are fragments of a large cell called a meta mega karyocyte produced in the bone marrow.

Normal Platelet Count

A laboratory range of approximately $250,000$ to $400,000$ fragments per cubic millimeter of blood.

Platelet Lifespan

The period of typically $5$ to $9$ days during which platelets remain viable before being recycled by the liver and spleen.

Hemostasis

The process by which the body stops bleeding

Ascular spasm, platelet plug formation, and coagulation

The three-part process by which the body stops bleeding

Vascular spasm

platelets release seratonin which causes the smooth muscle cell in blood vessel to contract (vasoconstriction) preventing severe blood loss

Platelet plug formation

Platelets mucopolysac which allows them to stick or “plug” together (attracts more platelets to the torn area)

Coagulation

Blood that leaked out of ruptured vessel

Muco polysaccharide

A sticky component found on platelets that allows them to adhere to each other to create a platelet plug.

Actin and Myosin

Contractile proteins found in platelets that shorten to pull the ruptured edges of a blood vessel closer together during coagulation.

Bilirubin

The substance released when red blood cells break down, responsible for the yellow discoloration seen as a bruise (black and blue) heals.

Prothrombinase

An enzyme that, in the presence of calcium, works on prothrombin to activate it into thrombin.

Thrombin

An active enzyme that converts fibrinogen into fibrin threads, which is the final conversion in the clotting cascade.

Anti-coagulant factors

dominate in circulatory blood (heparin) basophils help; vitamin e

Procoagulant

Factors that increase blood clotting: calcium, vitamin k

Vitamin E

A vitamin known to block blood clots from occurring, which patients are typically told to avoid at least two weeks prior to surgery.

Hemophilia A

A sex-linked hereditary condition where a person cannot synthesize clotting factor $VIII$.

Hemophilia B

A sex-linked hereditary condition where a person cannot synthesize clotting factor $IX$.

Hemophilia C

The least severe form of hemophilia that is not sex-linked, affecting males and females with equal probability.

Signs of hemophilia

Repeated bleeding and joint pain

DIC (Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation)

A condition of widespread clotting that blocks blood flow, followed by severe bleeding; can be a complication of pregnancy or certain surgeries.

Thrombocytopenia

A condition defined by having fewer than $50,000$ platelets per cubic millimeter, leading to spontaneous capillary bleeds called petechiae (depression of bone marrow).

Agglutinogen

The genetically determined marker or antigen found on the surface of a red blood cell.

Agglutinin

The genetically determined antibody found in the blood plasma.

Agglutination

The clumping reaction that occurs when an antibody (agglutinin) attacks its specific antigen (agglutinogen).

Erythroblastosis Fetalis

A condition where an Rh-negative mother's antibodies attack the red blood cells of an Rh-positive fetus.

RhoGAM

An injection of Rh antibodies given to an Rh-negative mother around the $27^{th}$ week of pregnancy to prevent her immune system from making memory antibodies.

Thrombus

A blood clot that forms in an unbroken blood vessel.

Embolus

A moving mass in the bloodstream, such as a clot fragment, bone fragment, fat, or air bubble, that can lodge in a smaller vessel.

Anemia

Decrease in oxygen carrying capacity of the blood

Hemorrhapic anemia

Severe blood loss

Nutritional anemia

Low iron, b12, and amino acids

Iron deficiency anemia

Diet, menses

Pernicious Anemia

An autoimmune disease caused by a lack of intrinsic factor, which prevents the absorption of Vitamin $B_{12}$ through the stomach lining.

Aplastic Anemia

Anemia caused by the destruction or inhibition of the bone marrow, often due to chemotherapy, radiation, or malignancy.

Hemolytic anemia

Premature destruction of RBC

Glycosylated hemoglobin

Glucose bound to hemoglobin; A1C levels