The Heart and the Immune System Weekly Summary Now that you have completed the discussion

of the heart and the basics of immunity, you should be familiar with: 1. The general flow of blood in the heart: a. Blood enters the superior and inferior vena cava in a deoxygenated state from the body. The superior and inferior vena cava are the LARGEST veins in the body. b. Blood then travels through the right atrium c. Tricuspid valve d. Right ventricle e. Pulmonary Arteries f. During all of this the blood is deoxygenated. g. The blood finally arrives at the lungs. This is where diffusion of oxygen from the lung cells occurs. h. Oxygen from the lung cells enters the blood and the carbon dioxide that was in the blood enters the lungs. The carbon dioxide is then exhaled out. i. The blood travels back into the heart from the lungs via the pulmonary veins. REMEMBER: These are the only veins in the body that carry oxygenated blood. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood. j. The blood, which is now oxygenated enters the left atrium k. Bicuspid or Mitral valve l. Left Ventricle m. Aorta The aorta is the LARGEST artery in the body it has to be very strong to pump blood throughout the body. n. The Left side of the heart is the more muscular because it has to pump blood through the ENTIRE body. A heart attack occurs when the coronary arteries that supply the heart with oxygen and nutrients are blocked. The muscle is then deprived of oxygen and can not function properly. There are many reasons why people have heart attacks a. Poor eating habits b. Being overweight c. Family history d. Combination of the above factors Things that can be done to prevent a heart attack include: a. Aspirin therapy thins the blood b. Taking other blood thinners such as Cumadin REMEMBER NEVER eat grapefruit when you are taking blood thinners. Grapefruit speeds up the absorption of many drugs and makes their reaction more acute. c. Exercise you do this for your heart and your health. d. Balloon angioplasty in this procedure a small balloon is inserted into the blocked blood vessel to dislodge it. PROBLEMS it can dislodge and travel elsewhere and possibly go to your brain and cause a STROKE. e. Bypass Surgery This is where clogged coronary arteries are bypassed by taking either a large artery from the leg or the arm and sew it in place where the clog was. If one artery is done it is known as bypass, two is double bypass, three is triple bypass and so on.

2.

3.

f. Stints these are little mesh devices that get inserted into the artery and help keep it open. g. Pacemaker these help to regulate the beat of the heart h. Combination therapy where one or more of the above things are done.

3. IMMUNITY - Know that white blood cells are produced in the bone marrow along with red blood cells, but that certain types of white blood cells (T cells) mature in the thymus while B cells mature in the bone marrow. There are three lines of defense in the immune system: a. Natural defenses such as skin, acids, and mucous lining. b. Nonspecific defenses such as swelling and inflammation. c. Specific defenses, where specific T and B cells are made to fight specific antigens. The immune system is like an army inside your body there is the surveillance team or macrophages that look for MHC markers that are not the same. Every cell has marker proteins on them. Your marker proteins are SPECIFIC to you. If something foreign enters, the body knows it because the macrophages send a signal. Once the signal is sent, the following things happen: 1. 2. The macrophages signal the NON-SPECIFIC DEFENSE mechanism to kick into action. The macrophages engulf and destroy the enemy and then rip off the MHC proteins and display them on their cell surface. This way the other cells know what the foreign pathogen looks like. The macrophages also activate the Natural Killer Cells these cells basically stab the foreign pathogen by using PERFORIN this is a chemical that perforates or opens up the cell membrane of the invading organisms. The macrophages also activate the helper T Cells these cells go and signal the B cells. B cells are important because they produce antibodies. Antibodies are SPECIFIC for 1 and ONLY 1 antigen. The macrophages also activate the memory cells. Memory cells are important for the following reason: Lets say Bobby has a cold and sneezes on you. You end up getting the cold. Then a week after you get over the cold you come in contact with little Suzy. Little Suzy has the same cold you just got over. You WILL NOT get the same cold you just had because your body REMEMBERS what the antigens looked like and it gets them before they get you. Why do you sometimes get one cold after another? The viruses are different. REMEMBER the immune system is SPECIFIC even a slight change in shape makes the virus different and the memory cells wont recognize it. 7. Once the B cells are activated by the macrophages (through a chemical signal (interleukin), they stimulate the production of:

3.

4. 5.

6.

a. Plasma cells these go to form antibodies REMEMBER Antibodies are specific. b. Memory cells- This is the cell that remembers that SPECIFIC invader. 4. HOW DOES AIDS WORK?

Basically AIDS interferes with the interleukin signal from the macrophages to the B cells. This prevents the B cells from making antibodies. If there are no antibodies the body really can not fight off the infection the other mechanisms are just not enough. AIDS also interferes and slows down the T-cells. Basically AIDS breaks down the immune system. 5. TYPES OF IMMUNITY

There are two types of immunity 1. Active this is where the body goes through the whole process mentioned above and makes MEMORY cells. So the next time that antigen comes around, the body is ready for it. Passive this is where the body is given PRE-MADE antibodies. The body does not go through the casacade mentioned above so NO MEMORY cells are made. The next time the same antigen comes around, the body will NOT recognize it and the antibodies need to be given again. One example of this type of immunity is snake bites. The immune system can not react quickly enough to halt the effects of the snake venom, so ANTI-VENUM has to be given to counteract the effects of the snake bite. Realize that even when you are bitten by a snake, active immunity occurs, it just does not occur fast enough. This is why antivenom is needed. WHAT IS ANTIVENUM? Antivenum is pre-made antibodies that come directly from the snake. It is collected and stored. There is anti-venum for most snakes but not all and some snakes are so rare that their anti-venum is in VERY short supply.

2.

3.

6.

BLOOD TYPES

There are 4 basic blood types: 1. A, B, AB and O 2. Blood type A has antigen A on its surface and antibody B in its plasma. 3. Blood type B has antigen B on its surface and antibody A in its plasma 4. Blood type AB has both antigen A and B on its surface and no antibodies in its plasma this is why it is considered to be the universal receiver it does not have any antibodies to attack any antigen.

5.

Blood type O has no antigens but both A and B antibodies in its plasma this is why it is considered to be the universal donor it does not have any antigens that will cause an attack by an antibody.

REMEMBER- An antibody attacks a foreign antigen. Finally there is the issue of Rh factor Rh is another antigen that is either present (+) or not present (-) in your blood. If it is present you are considered to be Rh+. If it is NOT present you are considered to be Rh-. If you are Rh positive you can receive Rh- blood. HOWEVER, if you are Rh you CAN NOT receive Rh+ blood Agglutination or clumping will occur. Therefore AB+ is the universal receiver it has both A and B antigens but no antibodies and it recognizes the Rh antigen. O- is the universal donor because it does not have any antigens. REMEMBER an antigen that is foreign will trigger an immune response.

PRACTICE PROBLEMS: A. If you had a blood pressure reading of a. b. c. d.

140 80 The top number would indicate the diastolic pressure while the bottom number would indicate the systolic pressure. And this is a good pressure The top number would indicate the diastolic pressure while the bottom number would indicate the systolic pressure. And this is a poor pressure The top number would indicate the systolic pressure while the bottom number would indicate the systolic pressure. And this is a good pressure. The top number would indicate the systolic pressure while the bottom number would indicate the diastolic pressure. And this is a poor pressure

B.

Which of the following would be ways to reduce heart attack? a. jogging b. aspirin c. diet d. all of the above Which of the following best describes white blood cells? a. large in number, have a nuclei, transport O2 b. small in number, have no nuclei, transport O2 c. leucocytes, small in number, have no nuclei d. leucocytes, small in number, have nuclei

C.

D.

Platelets are a. b. c. d.

thrombocytes thrombocytes, that are cell fragments leucocytes with no nuclei Erythrocytes

E.

If you are blood type B, which of the following blood types could you safely receive? a. b. c. d. e. Antigen A, Antibody B Antigen B, Antibody A Both Antigens A and B, with no Antibodies Neither Antigens but both Antibodies Either the blood type with Antigen B and Antibody A or the blood type with Neither Antigen but both Antibodies.

F.

If a women who is Rh- has a child with a man who is Rh- will medical intervention be needed? a. b. Yes No

G.

If a women who is Rh- has a child with a man who is Rh+ will medical intervention be needed? a. b. Yes No

H.

If a women who is Rh+ has a child with a man who is Rh- will medical intervention be needed? a. b. Yes No

I.

What type of medical intervention is given to women who have Rh difficulties? a. b. c. d. Complete Blood Transfusion Blood type O Rogam Antihistamines

J.

You are walking in the backyard and are bitten by a snake. Which of the following statements is true? a. b. c. d. You are ok because you have had all of your shots and all of your boosters. You should go to the hospital immediately and get a vaccination of dead snake cells. You should go to the hospital immediately and get a vaccination that consists of premade antibodies. You should ignore everything and continue to work in the garden.

K.

All blood cells are produced AND mature in the bone marrow? a. b. True False