Objectives
- Recognize and use terms related to the anatomy and physiology of blood, lymphatic, and immune systems.
- Recognize and use terms related to the pathology of the blood, lymphatic, and immune systems.
- Recognize and use terms related to the diagnostic procedures for the blood, lymphatic, and immune systems.
- Recognize and use terms related to the therapeutic interventions for the blood, lymphatic, and immune systems.
Functions of the Blood, Lymphatic, and Immune Systems
Homeostasis, or a "steady state," is a continual balancing act of the body systems to provide an internal environment that is comparable with life. The two liquid tissues of the body, the blood and lymph have separate but interrelated functions in maintaining this balance. They combine with a third system, the immune, to protect the body against pathogens that could threaten the organism's viability. The blood is responsible for the following:
- Transportation of gases (oxygen O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), chemical substances (hormones, nutrients, salts), and cells that defend the body.
- Regulation of the body's fluid and electrolyte balance, acid-base balance, and body temperature.
- Protection of the body from infection.
- Protection of the body from loss of blood by the action of clotting.
The lymph system is responsible for the following:
- Cleansing the cellular environment
- Returning proteins and tissue fluids to the blood (drainage)
- Providing a pathway for the absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins into the bloodstream.
- Defending the body against disease.
The immune system is responsible for the following:
- Defending the body against disease via the immune response
