Lec - M4. Post Task I - Cardiovascular System

HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY
LEC: M4. POST TASK I: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
Apply It Question I, p. 301. Cigarette smoke produces carbon monoxide. If a nonsmoker

smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for a few weeks, what would happen to the number of red
blood cells in the person’s blood? Explain
● To answer this question, we need to first determine the effect carbon monoxide has on
red blood cells. I’ve recalled from our reading of the function of red blood cells and the
description of hemoglobin that carbon monoxide binds very readily to hemoglobin and
does not tend to unbind. Therefore, carbon monoxide–bound hemoglobin in red blood
cells can no longer transport O2. This essentially leads to a decrease in blood O2 levels.
We also learned that low blood O2 levels stimulate red blood cell production by causing
the release of erythropoietin, primarily by the kidneys. Erythropoietin stimulates red
blood cell production in the red bone marrow. So, we can predict that the number of red
blood cells in the person’s blood will increase
Review and Comprehension, p. 314:

# 8. Where are red blood cells broken down? What happens to the breakdown products?
● When red blood cells become old, abnormal, or damaged, they are removed from the
blood by macrophages located in the spleen and liver. The hemoglobin is broken down
and its components are recycled or excreted from the body. The breakdown of
hemoglobin begins in the cytoplasm of the macrophages as the globin part of the
hemoglobin molecule is broken down into amino acids that are reused to produce other
proteins, while the iron is recycled by transporting it in the blood to the red bone marrow
to be used to produce new hemoglobin. The heme molecules without iron are converted
to bilirubin, and are normally removed from the blood by the liver and released into the
small intestine as part of the bile, it is then converted by bacteria into other pigments.
Some of these pigments give feces their brown color, whereas others may be absorbed
from the intestine into the blood in which it is modified by the kidneys and excreted in the
urine, giving a characteristic yellow color of urine.
# 12. Describe the role of blood vessel constriction and platelet plugs in preventing bleeding.
Describe the three steps of platelet plug formation.
● Blood vessels constrict in response to injury, resulting in decreased blood flow. This
constriction can close small vessels completely and stop the flow of blood through them.
Vascular spasm is stimulated by chemicals released by cells of the damaged blood
vessel wall and by platelets. Platelet plugs repair minor damage to blood vessels.
Platelet plugs form when: First Platelets adhesion in which platelets stick to the
collagen exposed by blood vessel damage; Second, Platelet release reaction wherein
it release chemicals (ADP and thromboxanes) which bind to their respective receptors
on the surfaces of other platelets, activating the platelets; and Third platelet
aggregation, fibrinogen forms bridges between the fibrinogen receptors of numerous
platelets, resulting in a platelet plug.
# 13. What are clotting factors? Describe the three steps of activation that result in the formation
of a clot
● Clotting factors are the formation of a blood clot depending on a number of proteins
found within plasma. In activation that results in clot formation there are steps such as;
the chemical reactions can be started in two ways: activation of clotting factors by
connective tissue and chemicals, resulting in the formation of prothrombinase; next is
that Prothrombinase converts an inactive clotting factor called prothrombin to its active
form, thrombin; and then last, Thrombin converts the plasma protein fibrinogen to fibrin.
Critical Thinking, p. 315:

#3 .
● The hypoventilation results in decreased blood O2. In this chapter I have learned that
this would stimulate the release of erythropoietin from the kidneys. The erythropoietin
stimulates red blood cell production in the red bone marrow. Consequently, red blood cell
numbers increase.

Lec - M4. Post Task I - Cardiovascular System

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lec - M4. Post Task I - Cardiovascular System

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lec - M4. Post Task I - Cardiovascular System

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY

LEC: M4. POST TASK I: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

Apply It Question I, p. 301. Cigarette smoke produces carbon monoxide. If a nonsmoker

Review and Comprehension, p. 314:

Critical Thinking, p. 315:

You might also like