Cardiovascular System: Blood Vocabulary//STUDIED

Flashcards covering vocabulary from the Cardiovascular System: Blood lecture notes.

Cardiovascular System

Circulating transport system that transports oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, waste products, hormones, and immune system components to and from cells.

Heart

The pump of the cardiovascular system.

Blood Vessels

The conducting system of the cardiovascular system.

Blood

The fluid medium of the cardiovascular system.

Blood

Specialized fluid connective tissue containing cells suspended in a fluid matrix.

Plasma

Fluid part of the blood making up 50-60% of blood volume; extracellular fluid.

Albumins

Transport substances like fatty acids, steroid hormones, and thyroid hormones.

Globulins

Immunoglobulins (antibodies) and transport globulins.

Fibrinogen

Involved in blood clotting.

Formed elements

Cells carried in the plasma.

Red Blood Cells (RBCs, Erythrocytes)

Transport oxygen; make up 99.9% of the formed elements.

White Blood Cells (WBCs, Leukocytes)

Part of the immune system.

Platelets (Thrombocytes)

Cell fragments involved in clotting.

Red Blood Cell Count

Number of RBCs per cubic millimeter of whole blood; normal range is 4.5 – 6.3 million.

Hematocrit

Percentage of packed RBCs in a whole blood sample; normal range is 40-52 (lower for females).

Biconcave Disc

Shape of RBCs that allows for quick uptake/release of oxygen, formation of stacks (rouleaux), and bending/flexing in small capillaries.

Hemoglobin (Hgb)

Protein molecule for oxygen transport.

Oxyhemoglobin

Hemoglobin molecule with oxygen attached; appears bright red.

Deoxyhemoglobin

Hemoglobin without oxygen; oxygen easily dissociates to enter cells; appears darker red or “blue”.

Fetal Hemoglobin

Specialized form of Hgb which forms a stronger bond with oxygen.

Anemia

Decreased oxygen carrying capacity of the blood.

Macrophages

Clean up cells that monitor the condition of RBC’s.

Bilirubin

Yellowish substance responsible for jaundice.

Hemoglobinuria

RBC breakdown in the bloodstream filters out at the kidneys and appears in the urine.

Hematuria

Kidney damage allows whole RBC’s to filter out of the blood and show up in the urine.

Erythropoeisis

RBC production that occurs in red bone marrow.

Erythropoietin

Stimulates the manufacture of RBC’s released by the kidneys in response to decreased blood volume or decreased oxygen (hypoxia).

Blood Types

Cell surface markers that occur because of different cell surface markers called surface antigens – A, B, and Rh.

Antibodies

Attack the RBC and cause many RBC’s to clump together (agglutinate) in a transfusion reaction.

Differential Count

Counting the numbers of each type of WBC to determine if the ratios are in the normal range.

Leukocytosis

Increase in numbers of WBC’s is called; the type of WBC that is found in increased numbers may give a clue to the type of problem.

Leukopenia

An abnormally low number of WBC’s.

Thrombocytopenia

Abnormally low platelet count.

Thrombocytosis

Abnormally high platelet count.

Hemostasis

The cessation of bleeding; 3 phases.

Vascular Phase

Results in vascular spasm which contracts the diameter of the blood vessel at the site of injury; this contraction lasts for about 30 minutes.

Platelet Phase

Within 15 seconds after injury platelets begin attaching themselves to the sticky exposed surfaces of the cut vessel (platelet adhesion); then many platelets stick to each other (platelet aggregation) to form a platelet plug that temporarily stops the bleeding.

Coagulation Phase

Begins 30 seconds or more after injury; results in the formation of a permanent clot; this is a cascade type series of reactions which can follow different initial pathways, but all paths lead to a common pathway which results in clot formation.

Prothrombinase

Activation of Factor X forms the enzyme.

Prothrombinase

Catalyzes the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin.

Thrombin

An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of soluble fibrinogen (a plasma protein) to insoluble fibrin.

Fibrinolysis

The process by which a clot slowly dissolves; this allows time for repair of damaged tissue; the clot is broken down by specific enzymes.