Blood Cells, Immune System, and Circulation

What are the primary types of white blood cells?

Lymphocytes, granulocytes, and monocytes.

Where do lymphocytes originate?

Thymus and red bone marrow.

What is the approximate number of lymphocytes per mm³ of blood?

About 6,000.

What is the main function of red blood cells?

To carry oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from cells.

What is the lifespan of red blood cells?

About 120 days.

What is the function of platelets?

To play a role in the clotting of blood.

What is the approximate number of platelets per mm³ of blood?

About 250,000.

What is the lifespan of platelets?

2-8 days.

What is the function of monocytes?

To engulf foreign particles.

What are the two main functions of blood?

Transport and homeostatic regulation.

What does blood transport to tissues?

Oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and plasma proteins.

What does blood remove from tissues?

Wastes and carbon dioxide.

How does blood help regulate temperature?

Through vasoconstriction and vasodilation.

What is the role of bicarbonate ions in blood?

To help regulate acid/base (pH) balance.

What is hemophilia?

A disorder where blood does not clot due to missing clotting factors.

What is leukemia?

A cancerous overproduction of white blood cells.

What is anemia?

A lack of hemoglobin or low red blood cell count.

What is the lymphatic system's primary function?

To maintain fluid balance and protect the body from infection.

Where do lymphocytes mature?

In lymph nodes.

What are the first line of defense mechanisms in the immune system?

Skin and mucous membranes.

What are phagocytic leukocytes?

White blood cells that engulf and digest pathogens.

What is the role of T cells in the immune response?

To signal an attack from foreign invaders.

What do B cells produce?

Y-shaped antibodies.

What is the significance of memory cells in the immune system?

They provide long-term immunity by remembering past infections.

What is the countercurrent heat exchange mechanism?

A process where heat is exchanged between adjacent blood vessels to regulate temperature.

What is the primary function of antibodies?

Antibodies recognize foreign substances and either neutralize or destroy them.

What are antigens?

Antigens are molecules found on the surface of cells and pathogens that provide an identification system.

What role do macrophages play in the immune response?

Macrophages digest pathogens and present fragments of them (antigens) to activate other immune cells.

How do antibodies affect toxins?

Antibodies can bind to toxins, changing their shape and preventing them from entering cells.

What type of immune response involves T-cells and B-cells?

The specific immune response.

What happens when a macrophage destroys an invader?

Its antigens go to the surface of the macrophage to activate helper T cells.

What is the role of helper T cells?

Helper T cells activate B cells to produce antibodies and killer T cells to destroy infected cells.

What is the function of killer T cells?

Killer T cells destroy infected body cells and cancer cells by puncturing their membranes.

What is the purpose of memory cells in the immune system?

Memory cells produce copies of invader antigens for quicker identification in future infections.

What are autoimmune diseases?

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system attacks the body's own cells as if they were foreign invaders.

What is an example of an autoimmune disease?

Rheumatoid arthritis or type I diabetes.

What triggers an allergic reaction?

An exaggerated response by the immune system to a harmless material, such as pollen or pet dander.

What is the Rhesus factor?

A second antigen found on red blood cells that can affect pregnancy if the mother is Rh- and the baby is Rh+.

What can happen if an Rh- mother has an Rh+ baby?

The mother's immune system may produce antibodies against Rh+ blood, leading to hemolytic disease in subsequent pregnancies.

What are the blood types in the ABO blood system?

Type A, Type B, Type AB, and Type O.

What is the significance of glycoproteins on blood cells?

Glycoproteins determine blood types by their presence or absence on the surface of red blood cells.

What occurs during a normal immune response?

The immune system forms antibodies to target and eliminate foreign antigens.

What is the role of phagocytes?

Phagocytes, including neutrophils and macrophages, kill bacteria by engulfing them.

What is competitive inhibition in the context of antibodies?

Antibodies can prevent pathogens from entering cells by binding to them and blocking their receptors.

What is the difference between specific and non-specific immune responses?

Specific responses involve targeted actions by lymphocytes (T-cells and B-cells), while non-specific responses are general defenses like phagocytosis.