Medical Terminology 2.

0 Blood, Lymphatic and Immune System: Lesson 1: Anatomy & Physiology

In this lesson, you will learn medical terms related to the blood, lymphatic, and immune systems. When you have completed this lesson, you will be familiar with medical terms used to describe the structures and functions of the blood, lymphatic, and immune systems. After completing this lesson, you should be able to: Define the word parts used to build terms related to the anatomy and physiology of the blood, lymphatic, and immune systems. Define terms related to the anatomy and physiology of the blood, lymphatic, and immune systems. Recognize and use the word parts and terms related to the structure and function of the blood, lymphatic and immune systems. Pronounce and spell terms related to the anatomy and physiology of the blood, lymphatic, and immune systems.

Case Study: Mr. Li Chen

Li Chen and his wife Mai own a small gift shop in San Francisco. They work together at the shop on most days of the week. The business demands a significant amount of their time, but they both enjoy the work and being together. Li's wife comes with him to see Dr. Stamatis. Mai tells Dr. Stamatis, "My husband is normally quite fit. Usually when a new shipment comes in, he can lift and carry most boxes in by himself or at least hoist the larger boxes and crates onto a dolly without any help. But lately, he doesn't have the energy or strength to lift even the fairly light boxes." Li only nods. Dr. Stamatis takes note that Li's fatigue is significant enough that he prefers Mai to do most of the talking. As Dr. Stamatis asks a few more questions, Li says, "I also seem to catch colds more easily." He states that he has had a sore throat for at least three weeks. In addition to the fatigue, he says he has lost a little weight. Hearing this, Dr. Stamatis makes a few initial notes and then listens to Li's heart and takes his blood pressure. Dr. Stamatis then continues with Li's health history. As Dr. Stamatis continues with Li's examination, he reflects on the fact that both Li and Mai continue to comment on Li's level of fatigue. Obviously, this concerns them the most. Dr. Stamatis decides to investigate Li's potential for lowered immunity resulting from a disorder of his immune system.

Blood, Lymphatic, and Immune Systems

The hematologic (blood) and lymphatic systems flow through separate but interdependent channels of vessels and liquids.

These systems include the body's two liquid tissues, the blood (hem/o, hemat/o) and lymph (lymph/o). These tissues work together to maintain homeostasis (home/o=same, -stasis=maintaining a constant level), a steady state in the body's internal environment. These two systems combine with a third system, the immune system, to protect the body against pathogens (path/o=disease, -gen=producing).

Composition of Whole Blood

Blood is a connective tissue composed of a clear, straw-colored fluid called plasma, the fluid portion of the blood in which the particulate elements are suspended. Serum (ser/o) is plasma minus the clotting proteins, fibrinogen and prothrombin. Click the More Information tab to learn about formed elements.

Erythrocyte Production and Decomposition

Red blood cell production is called erythropoiesis (erythr/o=red, -poiesis=formation). RBCs decompose in a process called hemolysis (hem/o=blood, -lysis=destruction, breakdown).

Granulocytes
Types of leukocytes include granulocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes and macrophages. Granulocytes (granul/o=granule, -cyte=cell) have small grains present in their cytoplasm (cyt/o=cell, -plasm=substance of a cell). They share a common property of nuclei with many lobes, which is reflected in the term polymorphonucleocyte (poly-=many, morph/o=shape/form, nucle/o=nucleus). In the laboratory, different granulocytes attract different types of stain and are named accordingly. Eosinophils attract a rosy-colored, acidic dye (eosin/o=red, rosy, dawn-colored, -phil=attraction, tendency). Basophils (bas/o=base) attract an alkaline/basic dye and are colored blue. Neutrophils (neutr/o=neutral) attract a neutral dye and stain a lavender color.

Lymphocytes
There are two types of lymphocytes (lymph/o=lymph, -cyte=cell): T cells and B cells. These cells attack infectious agents (antigens (anti-=against) directly or by producing neutralizers called antibodies.

Antigens are substances that produce a reaction of the immune system because they are perceived as foreign to the body.

Monocytes, Macrophages
The monocyte (mono-=one, singular, -cyte=cell) leaves the circulation and enters the body's tissues. Once inside the tissue, it becomes the special phagocytic (phag/o=to eat, to swallow) cell known as a macrophage (macro-=large, -phage=to eat or swallow). Macrophages eat pathogens and help fight severe infections.

Thrombocytes
Thrombocytes react with the blood protein prothrombin to form thrombin, which then converts into fibrinogen (fibr/o=fiber, -gen=producing). Fibrinogen becomes fibrin and forms a mesh-like clot.

Antigens and Antibodies

When foreign substances enter the body, immunoglobulins (immun/o=immunity/protection, -globulin=protein)also known as antibodies (anti-=against)are produced to nullify or neutralize them. In blood, these antigens are called agglutinogens (agglutin/o=clumping, -gen=producing) because their presence can cause the blood to clot. Their corresponding antibodies are called agglutinins (-in=relating to).

The Lymphatic System

Major components of lymphatic system include: Interstitial fluid (inter- =between, -stitial=to set) and lymph (lymph/o=lymph) Lymph vessels (lymphangi/o) Lymph glands (nodes) (lymphaden/o) o There are various lymph tissues and organs, such as the tonsils (tonsill/o), adenoids, appendix (appendic/o=appendix), spleen (splen/o=spleen), and Peyer's patches. o Lymph nodes, such as the cervical (cervic/o=neck) and the axilla (axill/o=armpit), may become enlarged when the body is fighting off an infection.

The thymus (thym/o) gland is located in the mediastinum (pl., mediastina) and is instrumental in the development of T lymphocytes. Click the More Information tab to learn about the functions of the lymphatic system.

The Immune System

The immune system fights infection and protects the body from both external invaders and cells that have been altered or damaged.

In response to detected pathogens or foreign bodies in the body, the immune system releases: Lymphocytes (both B cells and T cells) that secrete lymphokines. Monocytes and macrophages that secrete monokines. Cytokines direct immune cellular interactions. o Interleukin is a special type of cytokine that sends messages between the leukocytes to direct their protective actions.

Case Study: Mr. Chen

As Dr. Stamatis palpates Li Chen's abdomen, he detects that Li's spleen may be slightly enlarged, a condition called splenomegaly. The spleen is involved in making cells that fight infection. When the spleen is helping the body to ward off an infection, part of that response causes the spleen to enlarge. He also notes that Li has enlarged cervical lymph nodes. Dr. Stamatis examines Li's laboratory results. His blood tests show an increase in lymphocytes, one type of white blood cell. Some of these increased lymphocytes have an unusual, or atypical, appearance. More specific blood tests, such as the monospot and heterophile antibody tests, are both positive for mononucleosis. Since mononucleosis is caused by a virus, Dr. Stamatis does not prescribe antibiotics. Instead, he tells Li to rest, take a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory for his aches and be prepared to be off work for several weeks until the disease runs its course.

Summary
This lesson presented the medical terms used to describe the anatomy and physiology of the blood, lymphatic, and immune systems. Terms used to describe the hematologic cells and their functions were introduced. Medical terminology used to describe the immune system were explained and defined. Click the Take Test button to begin the test.