[Cristina Restrepo]

The alveoli are tiny air sacs located in the lungs. To be more exact they are located at the end of the bronchioles, which are the smallest air passages in the lungs. The alveoli is where gas exchange takes place, transferring oxygen into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide out. They achieve this by taking the oxygen we inhale and diffusing it via capillaries into the blood stream then carbon dioxide from the blood diffuses into the alveoli to be exhaled. They are crucial because they significantly increase the surface area of the lungs, facilitating efficient oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide release. This gas exchange is vital for oxygen delivery to the body and removal of waste products such as carbon dioxide. It is important to mention that the alveoli need to be free from inflammation and mucus to function properly.

[Cristina Restrepo]

The skin is the body’s largest organ, made of water, protein, fats and minerals. The skin protects your body from germs and regulates body temperature. Nerves in the skin help you feel sensations like hot and cold. The skin, along with hair, nails, oil glands and sweat glands, is part of the integumentary system, which means outer covering.

The skin is composed of three layers: the epidermis which is the outer layer, the dermis which is the middle layer and the hypodermis which is the bottom or fatty layer. The epidermis, as said before, is the top layer of the skin; the one you can see and touch. It is mostly made up of Keratin, a protein inside skin cells, along with other proteins that come together to form this layer. The epidermis acts as a protective barrier keeping bacteria and other microorganisms from entering the bloodstream and causing infections. This is done by the presence of Langerhan cells which are part of the immune system and help fight off pathogenic microorganisms. It also protects against other elements such as the rain and the sun. Other functions of the epidermis are to make new skin cells and to give skin its color with the presence of the pigment melanin.

The dermis, which is the middle layer, makes up to 90% of skin’s thickness. The dermis contains collagen which is a protein that makes skin cells strong and resilient. It also contains elastin which keeps skin flexible and helps stretched skin regain its shape. It is also in charged of growing hair as the roots of hair follicles attach to the dermis. Another function of the dermis is to produce oils that help the skin feel smooth and soft as well as producing sweat to regulate body temperature. Nerve receptors in the dermis help you feel pain, and determine if something is soft, itchy, hot or cold. It also supplies blood to the epidermis keeping the skin layers healthy.

Now the hypodermis, which is the bottom of fatty layer of the skin, functions to cushion muscles and bones when you fall or are in an accident. It also has connective tissue that connects layers of skin to muscles and bones. Nerves and blood vessels in the hypodermis extend to connect the hypodermis to the rest of the body. Lastly, it regulates body temperature as fat in the hypodermis acts as an insulator to prevent the body from becoming too cold or hot.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Lesly, I like how you connect the medical interpreter role to the explanation of the female and male reproductive systems as it is imperative to be familiar with these differences when conveying information from provider to patient and vice versa to ensure accuracy of interpretation.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Leonisa, thank you for sharing the secondary sexual characteristics that come from the production of testosterone like a deeper voice and facial hair for males. I found that very interesting to know! And as always you do a great job creating the picture as your explanation is very easy to follow.

• This reply was modified 5 days, 5 hours ago by Cristina Restrepo.

[Cristina Restrepo]

The reproductive system is the biological system in charged of producing offspring. It is divided into the female and male reproductive systems and it includes the organs, ducts, glands and hormones involved in sexual reproduction. While both systems are responsible for human reproduction they differ primarily in their function and structure. Females produce eggs and develop a fetus, while males produce sperm to fertilize the egg and release testosterone.

Taking a further look at the structure and function of both systems, the male reproductive system is composed of testes which produce sperm and testosterone, epididymis which stores and transports sperm, vas deferens which transports sperm into the urethra, ejaculatory ducts which empty into the urethra and lastly the urethra itself which carries urine and semen outside of the body. On the other hand, the female reproductive system is made up of ovaries which produce estrogen and eggs, fallopian tubes which are narrow tubes for the fertilized egg to travel to the uterus, uterus which holds the fetus during pregnancy, cervix which is the narrow passage between the uterus and the vagina and lastly the vagina which is the passage for childbirth and sexual intercourse.

The key differences between both systems are the gamete production as females produce eggs through a process called oogenesis and males produce sperm through a process called spermatogenesis. It is important to mention that males continuously produce sperm, while females produce eggs intermittently. Another difference is the sperm and egg viability as for sperm is up to 48 hours while eggs are viable for up to 24 hours. Hormonal differences are also present as females produce estrogen and progesterone and males produce testosterone.

The female reproductive system additionally carries out the process of menstruation which is the shedding of the uterine lining if fertilization does not occur as well as pregnancy where the fertilized egg develops into a fetus.

• This reply was modified 5 days, 6 hours ago by Cristina Restrepo.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Joseph, thank you for giving a thorough explanation of the subject. I specifically liked how you highlighted the importance of each component of the nerve cell. It really shows the time you put in researching the subject.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Leonisa, I am glad you found my explanation easy to follow. You also did a great job outlining each component of the nerve cell and its function as well as pointing out their importance.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Lesly, your explanation of how the blood circulates through the heart definitely paints a clear picture of the whole process. It was very easy to follow and understand. This is going to be particularly helpful when trying to remember key details of this biological process.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Leonisa, thank you for pointing out the other exception to the rule which are the pulmonary veins that instead of carrying oxygen-poor blood, in this case carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart. Your explanation of the subject was very concise and clear.

[Cristina Restrepo]

The nervous system is a complex collection of nerves and neurons that transmit signals between different parts of the body. The neuron or nerve cell has three main components: dendrites, cell body (soma) and axon.

The dendrites are branch-like extensions of the cell body and their purpose is to transfer information from other neurons to the cell body. Their function is primarily to receive signas from other neurons.

The cell body or soma is the main body of the neuron and it contains the nucleus. Its main purpose is to control the neuron’s overall function and integrates incoming signals from dendrites. Its function is to contain the nucleus and process information received from dendrites.

The axon is a long, cylindrical projection extending from the cell body. Its purpose is to carry signals or electrical impulses away from the cell body to other neurons or target cells, such as muscle cells.

The axon terminals are the end of the axon and its purpose is to form connections with other neurons at synapses.

The synapses are the junctions where neurons communicate with each other by releasing neurotransmitters. Their function is to transmit information or nerve impulses from one neuron to another.

The myelin-sheath is a fatty layer that insulates axons. Its function is to insulate and protect the nerve cell and speed up the transmission of electrical signals along the nerve fiber.

The nodes of ranvier are gaps in the myelin sheath that allow for faster signal conduction. Their main function is to facilitate rapid electrical signal transmission along myelinated axons through saltatory conduction.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Even though arteries and veins are both types of blood vessels, they differ in two main forms. One of them being the direction of blood flow and the type of blood they carry. Arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body, while veins carry deoxygenated blood from the body back to the heart. The pulmonary arteries are an exception to this as they carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. They are the only arteries in your body that carry oxygen-poor blood. Another difference is that arteries have thicker, more elastic walls to withstand high pressure, while veins have thinner walls and valves to prevent back flow of blood, unlike arteries.

When it comes to the importance of the four chambers of the heart, they are crucial for efficiently delivering oxygenated blood to the body and removing oxygen-poor blood to the lungs. It works by the heart’s two upper chambers, the atria, receiving blood from the veins, while the two lower chambers, the ventricles, pump the blood out of the heart. This separation ensures that oxygenated blood is directed to the body and deoxygenated blood is directed to the lungs for gas exchange. It is also important to mention that the heart’s chambers work in a well coordinated manner, along with the heart valves, to maintain proper blood flow and prevent backflow of blood. This separation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood is vital for efficient circulation and the delivery of oxygen to the body’s tissues.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Joseph, the concept of idea mapping is also new to me, however, I can see how useful it is to simplify and summarize the important details of the encounter, and at glance be able to tell the whole story. Definitely a great tool to successfully take notes as the encounter is taking place.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Leonisa, thank you for sharing the physical stimulus technique and how it works. I found it to be very interesting that the brain tends to retain information better if the learning process is more active. The video was packed with valuable information to help us along the journey so I will definitely try to incorporate some of these techniques when reviewing vocabulary to see which ones work best for me.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Hello Joseph, you brought up a great point about physical exercise to keep the brain functioning as is supposed to and I had not thought about it in that way but it makes total sense as when you exercise there is increased blood flow to the brain, which delivers oxygen and nutrients, supporting brain cell growth and connections.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Lesly, I really enjoyed reading your post specifically the part where you highlight the importance of regular practice with medical terminology and also the metaphor used “use it or lose it” as it explains what happens when we do not practice or review familiar and unfamiliar terms pertaining to the medical field. The brain is like a muscle in the sense that it needs to be stimulated or worked-out to become sharper and stronger. So it is imperative for medical interpreters to practice and stay current in medical vocabulary and also be aware of any changes in either one of the languages spoken.

[Author]

Posts