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Blood Flashcards

(67 cards)

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1
Q

How does blood regulate body temperature?

A

By absorbing and distributing heat throughout the body

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2
Q

What is blood’s role in pH balance?

A

Maintains normal pH using buffers and bicarbonate ions

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3
Q

How does blood maintain fluid balance

A

By maintaining adequate fluid volume in the circulatory system

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4
Q

How does blood prevent blood loss?”

A

Through plasma proteins and platelets that form blood clots

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5
Q

What are the three immunity agents carried in blood?

A

Antibodies
Complement proteins
White blood cells

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6
Q

What is the main function of blood in preventing infection?

A

It carries agents of immunity that fight infection

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7
Q

What type of tissue is blood?

A

Blood is the only fluid connective tissue in the body

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8
Q

What are the two main components of blood?

A

Plasma (nonliving fluid matrix)
Formed elements (living blood cells)

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9
Q

What are the three types of formed elements in blood?

A
  1. Erythrocytes (RBCs)
  2. Leukocytes (WBCs)
  3. Platelets”
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10
Q

What percentage of whole blood is plasma?

A

55% of whole blood; it is the least dense component

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11
Q

What is the buffy coat composed of?

A

Leukocytes (white blood cells) and platelets; makes up <1% of whole blood

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12
Q

What is the hematocrit?

A

The percentage of blood volume that is erythrocytes (red blood cells); makes up 45% of whole blood and is the most dense component

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13
Q

The cellular components of blood

A

erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets

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14
Q

What happens when blood is centrifuged

A

The blood separates into three layers based on density:

Top: Plasma (55%)

Middle: Buffy coat (<1%)

Bottom: Erythrocytes (45%)

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15
Q

What is the normal pH range of blood

A

pH 7.35-7.45

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16
Q

What are formed elements in blood?

A

Formed elements are the cellular components of blood, which include:

RBCs (Red Blood Cells/Erythrocytes) - carry oxygen

WBCs (White Blood Cells/Leukocytes) - fight infection

Platelets - help with blood clotting

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17
Q

What is the size and job of erythrocytes?

A

They are tiny cells (7.5 μm wide) that carry gas (like oxygen) around your body

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18
Q

What is special about the shape and structure of erythrocytes

A

They have a special disc shape that’s dented in on both sides (biconcave) and have no nucleus or other cell parts. This shape helps them carry more oxygen

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19
Q

What fills erythrocytes and why

A

They are filled with hemoglobin (Hb), which is like a magnet for oxygen - it grabs oxygen and carries it through your body

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20
Q

What makes the biconcave (dented-in disc) shape of RBCs so special?

A

The shape gives RBCs a huge surface area compared to their size, making it easier for them to pick up and drop off oxygen - like a squished donut with more surface to grab oxygen!

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21
Q

How much of a red blood cell is made of hemoglobin

A

97% of the cell (not counting water) is hemoglobin - like a backpack stuffed completely full of oxygen carriers

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22
Q

Why is it important that RBCs have no mitochondria

A

Without mitochondria, RBCs make energy without using oxygen (anaerobic). This means they don’t use up any of the oxygen they carry - like a delivery truck that doesn’t use any of the packages it’s delivering

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23
Q

What is oxyhemoglobin and when is it formed?

A

Oxyhemoglobin is formed when hemoglobin picks up oxygen in the lungs. It has a bright ruby red color - think of it as “happy hemoglobin” carrying its oxygen package

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24
Q

What is deoxyhemoglobin and when is it formed?

A

Deoxyhemoglobin (or reduced hemoglobin) forms when oxygen is dropped off in the tissues. It has a darker red color - think of it as “empty hemoglobin” that has delivered its oxygen!

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25
What is hematopoiesis?
Hematopoiesis is the process of making all blood cells - think of it as your body's blood cell factory
26
Where does hematopoiesis happen and what is red bone marrow?
It happens in red bone marrow, which is: A special tissue inside certain bones Found in the central skeleton (axial), shoulder/hip areas (girdles), and upper arm/thigh bones
27
What are hematopoietic stem cells (hemocytoblasts)?
These are the "parent" cells that can make all types of blood cells: They're like blank slates that can become any blood cell Hormones tell them what type of blood cell to become Once they choose a path, they can't change their mind!
28
What is EPO and what does it do?
EPO (Erythropoietin) is a hormone that tells your body to make more red blood cells - think of it as a "red blood cell factory manager
29
Where is EPO made and what triggers its release?
Back: - Mainly made in kidneys (some in liver) Released when oxygen is low (hypoxia) A small amount is always in blood to keep basic production going
30
How does low oxygen trigger EPO production?
When oxygen is low: Special enzymes in kidney cells can't break down HIF (Hypoxia-Inducible Factor) HIF builds up This buildup tells the body to make more EPO Think of it like a low-oxygen alarm system!
31
How long do red blood cells (RBCs) live?
RBCs live for 100-120 days (about 3-4 months) before they need to be replaced.
32
What happens to dying RBCs in the spleen?
Special cells called macrophages (like tiny pac-men 👾) in the spleen find and eat up old, dying RBCs to break them down. Think of the spleen as a recycling center for old blood cells!
33
What is bilirubin and where does it come from?
Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that forms when heme (from old red blood cells) breaks down. Think of it as the "yellow leftover" from recycling old blood cells
34
What happens to bilirubin in the body
The journey of bilirubin: Liver releases it into intestines (in bile) Changes into urobilinogen Urobilinogen becomes stercobilin (brown pigment) Leaves body in poop (this is what makes poop brown!)
35
What are the two main types of red blood cell disorders?
Anemia (too few red blood cells) Polycythemia (too many red blood cells)
36
What is anemia and what are its symptoms?
Anemia is when blood can't carry enough oxygen. Symptoms include: Feeling tired (fatigue) Pale skin (pallor) Trouble breathing (dyspnea)
37
What are the three main causes of anemia
Blood loss (losing blood) Not enough RBCs produced (factory not making enough) Too many RBCs destroyed (too many cells dying too soon)
38
What is sickle cell anemia?
A blood disorder where red blood cells become crescent-shaped (like a banana 🍌) instead of round like a disc. This happens because of one small change in the hemoglobin protein.
39
What causes the sickle shape in sickle cell anemia?
One tiny change in the amino acid sequence: Normal cell: has Glutamic acid (Glu) at position 6 Sickle cell: has Valine (Val) at position 6 Just one wrong amino acid makes the cell change shape!
40
How do normal and sickle cells look different?
Normal cells: Round and disc-shaped (like a donut 🍩) Sickle cells: Curved and crescent-shaped (like a banana 🍌) This shape change makes it harder for them to carry oxygen
41
What makes leukocytes (WBCs) unique among blood cells?
Leukocytes are the only complete blood cells because: They have a nucleus They have organelles (like tiny organs inside 🏭) Other blood cells (like RBCs and platelets) don't have these parts!
42
What are granulocytes and what types are there?
Granulocytes are WBCs with visible granules in their cytoplasm. Types include: Neutrophils Eosinophils Basophils Think of them as cells with tiny visible backpacks full of weapons!
43
What are agranulocytes and what types are there?
Agranulocytes are WBCs without visible granules. Types include: Lymphocytes Monocytes Think of them as cells with invisible toolkits
44
What's the memory trick for WBC abundance in blood?
Never Let Monkeys Eat Bananas 🐒 N = Neutrophils (most common) L = Lymphocytes (second most) M = Monocytes E = Eosinophils B = Basophils (least common)
45
N = Neutrophils (most common) L = Lymphocytes (second most) M = Monocytes E = Eosinophils B = Basophils (least common
46
neutrophils
Most common WBC (50-70% of WBCs) Like "first responder" cells Main job: Eat bacteria (phagocytosis) Called "bacteria slayers" 🦠 Have a multi-lobed nucleus that looks like a squiggly line
47
What are lymphocytes and what do they do?
Second most common WBC (25-45%) Two main types: B cells → make antibodies T cells → fight viruses and cancer cell
48
What are monocytes and what do they do?
Make up 3-8% of WBCs Largest WBCs Leave blood to become macrophages in tissues Like pac-man: eat dead cells, bacteria, and viruses Have a U-shaped or kidney-shaped nucleus
49
What are eosinophils and what do they do?
Make up 2-4% of WBCs Fight parasitic worms Help with allergic responses Have bright red-orange granules Two-lobed nucleus looks like ear muffs
50
What are basophils and what do they do?
Rarest WBC (less than 1%) Release histamine (causes inflammation) Help with allergic responses Have dark purple granules Like tiny allergy alarm cells
51
What type of white blood cell has multiple lobes and blue-red granules?
Neutrophils
52
Which white blood cell has red dots inside and two parts to its nucleus?
Eosinophil
53
What white blood cell has dark purple-black dots inside?
Basophil
54
Which white blood cell is round with a big purple center and thin blue edge?
Lymphocyte
55
What white blood cell looks like a kidney bean and has lots of blue stuff inside?
Monocyte
56
Granulocytes
cells with visible dots/granules inside
57
Agranulocytes
cells without visible dots
58
What is the most common white blood cell (about 60%) that's really good at eating bacteria?
Neutrophils! They make up 50-70% of white blood cells and are very phagocytic (good at eating bad germs)
59
What percentage of white blood cells are eosinophils?
Eosinophils make up 2-4% of all white blood cells
60
Which white blood cell is the rarest, making up only 0.5-1% of all white blood cells?
Basophils are the rarest white blood cells (0.5-1% of all leukocytes)
61
What is the largest white blood cell that makes up 3-8% of WBCs?
Monocytes
62
What do monocytes turn into when they leave the blood?
Macrophages
63
What do macrophages do?
They eat viruses, bacteria, and help with long-lasting infections
64
How many types of lymphocytes are there and what are they?
Two types: T cells and B cells
65
What do T cells fight?
Virus-infected cells and tumor cells
66
What do B cells make?
They make plasma cells that produce antibodies
67
Where are most lymphocytes found?
In lymphoid tissue (like lymph nodes and spleen)

Human Anatomy (6 decks)

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