The Heart

The Structure & Function of the Heart

The heart is a pump, made of muscle, which moves blood around the body The muscle is constantly active, so it needs its own blood supply (coronary circulation), through the coronary artery to provide it with oxygen and glucose The heart has two sides the right side receives deoxygenated blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs for oxygenation, while the left side receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it to the body

Examiners Tip
To remember which side of the heart contains oxygenated blood, learn this mnemonic: LORD (Left Oxygenated Right Deoxygenated) Arteries carry blood Away from the heart (remember AA) On a diagram the right chambers are on the left of the diagram

The Heart continued

There are four chambers, the right and left atria receive blood from veins and squeeze it into the ventricles The right and left ventricles receive blood from the atria and squeeze it into arteries The wall of the left ventricle is much thicker than the right ventricle because it needs to build up enough pressure to move the blood to all the main organs Using the photocopy trace the heart and draw arrows on the four blood vessels and the four chambers to show the direction of blood flow through the heart. Remember that blood passing through the chambers of the heart does not supply the heart muscle with oxygen or glucose

The Effect of Exercise on Heartbeat

A heartbeat is a contraction Each contraction squeezes blood to the lungs and body The heart beats around 70 times per minute, more if you are younger, and the rate becomes lower the fitter you are During exercise the heart rate increases to supply the muscles with more oxygen and glucose These are needed to allow the muscles to respire aerobically, so they have sufficient energy to contract Regular exercise is important to keep the heart muscle in good tone This results in the heart being more efficient in maintaining blood pressure and reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke

Main Causes of a Heart Attack

Cause
Poor diet with too much saturated (animal) fat Smoking Stress

Explanation
Leads to cholesterol building up in arteries, eventually blocking the blood vessel or allowing a blood clot to form

Preventative Measures
Cholesterol-free diet

Nicotine damages the heart and blood vessels Tends to increase blood pressure, which can result in fatty materials collecting in the arteries Being overweight puts extra strain on the heart and makes it more difficult for the person to exercise The heart muscle loses its tone and becomes less efficient in pumping blood Heart disease appears to be passed from one generation to the next in some families

Stop smoking Find ways of relaxing Identify causes of stress and avoid them Go on a controlled diet and take regular exercise Start taking regular exercise Make sure other factors do not increase the risk of heart disease. Monitor health

Obesity

Lack of exercise Inherited factors

The Double Circulatory System

Blood passes through the heart twice for each complete circulation of the body The right side of the heart collects deoxygenated blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs The left side collects oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it to the body The double circulatory system helps to maintain blood pressure, making circulation efficient

Antibody Production
The immune system is the bodys defence against disease and foreign bodies In Antibody production antibodies are produced by lymphocytes, which are formed in lymph nodes Lymphocytes produce antibodies in response to the presence of pathogens such as bacteria This is because alien cells have chemicals called antigens on their surface A different antibody is produced for each antigen The antibodies make bacteria clump together in preparation for action by phagocytes, or neutralise the toxins produced by the bacteria http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpNFAEbLcvk

Antibody Production Continued

Once antibodies have been made, they remain in the blood to provide long-term protection Some lymphocytes memorise the antigens the body has been exposed to They can rapidly reproduce and produce antibodies to respond to further infections by the same pathogen (disease-causing organism)

Tissue Rejection
Transplants involve replacing a damaged organ with a donor organ However, the body treats the replacement as an invading organism and this triggers an immune response The donor organ is rejected as a result of the production of antibodies to fight the foreign tissue To prevent this happening, the donor organ needs to be a similar tissue type to that of the patients e.g. From a close relative Immunosuppressive drugs are used, which switch off the bodys risk of dying from any disease they are exposed to, so they need to be kept in isolation

Blood Clotting
Blood plasma contains the soluble protein fibrinogen If a blood vessel is damaged or if blood is exposed to air, fibrinogen is converted to insoluble fibrin This forms threads, which trap red blood cells to make a blood clot

The Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system is a collection of lymph vessels and glands It has three main roles: The return of tissue fluid to the blood in the form of lymph fluid. This prevents fluid build-up in the tissues The production lymphocytes. These are made in lymph glands such as the tonsils, adenoids (are a mass of lymphoid tissue situated posterior to the nasal cavity) and spleen (acts as a blood filter).

Adenoid & Tonsil

Spleen

The Lymphatic System Contd

The glands become more active during an infection because they are producing and releasing large numbers of lymphocytes The absorption of fatty acids and glycerol from the small intestine. Each villus contains a lacteal a blind-ending lymph vessel

Villus