Circulatory System

byRobert Young, Charlotte Kelley, Ryan Mooney, Kitae Kim, and

Alexa Jaenicke

Function

The circulatory system is responsible for the transport of water and dissolved materials throughout the body, including oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and waste. The circulatory system transports oxygen from the lungs and nutrients from the digestive tract to every cell in the body, allowing for the continuation of cell metabolism. The circulatory system also transports the waste products of cell metabolism to the lungs and kidneys where they can be expelled from the body. Without this important function toxic substances would quickly build up in the body.1

Structure of the Heart

The most important part of the circulatory system is the Heart.

The Heart is responsible for pumping blood through arteries and veins throughout the body, bringing nutrients and oxygen to each cells

Humans have double circulation. There are two circuits, one to the lungs and the other to the body. This requires a four chambered heart.2

Structure of the Heart

Left atrium receives oxygenated blood from lungs 3

Left ventricle pumps blood to body through the Aorta 3

Right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body 3

Right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs 3

Main Types of Blood Vessels On average, your body has about 5 liters of blood flowing through it by way of the circulatory system. The heart, the lungs, and the...blood vessels work together to form the circle part of the circulatory system. The pumping of the heart forces the blood on its journey.The body's circulatory system has three distinct parts:

-pulmonary circulation, or the lungs -coronary circulation, the heart -and systemic circulation, everything else

Each must be working correctly independently in order for them to all work together.3

Video on the Circulatory System

ArteriesThe heart pumps blood out of one main artery called the dorsal aorta. The dorsal aorta then branches out into smaller arteries that reach every different part of the body.6 Arteries transport fresh, oxygen rich blood to capillaries. Arteries have 3 layers (like veins).6Contractions of arteries keep the pace of the heart.

Transports blood at a low pressure which makes them weaker than arteries. Veins have 3 layers- an outter layer of tissue, a middle layer of muscle and a inner layer of smooth epithelial cells.6

Veins receive blood from the capillaries after an exchange of Oxygen and Carbon dioxide has taken place. Veins transport waste-rich blood back to the lungs and the heart.Veins also contain valves that ensure that the waste-rich blood moves only in one direction.6

Veins

Capillaries Very small blood vessels, very thin.Transports blood from arteries(with oxygen rich blood) then the gas exchange takes place and the capillaries pass the waste-rich blood to the veins9

Exchange of oxygen and CO2 takes place through the thin capillary walls.6

Red Blood Cells

Cells are red because of the Hemoglobin in the cellsHemoglobin contains Iron, which attaches to Oxygen and Carbon Dioxideit releases the oxygen in tissues and then carries away the carbon dioxide and other waste gasesThese blood cells have a life span of 120 days and are always being reproduced4

White Blood Cells

these blood cells protect the body against disease two groups of white blood cells: 1) GRANULOCYTES 2) ANGRANULOCYTES granulocytes:

NEUTROPHILIS-- first to arrive to fight bacteria, a virus, fungi, and protozoa EOSINOPHILIS-- moderate allergic reactions and fight against parasitic wormsBASOPHILIS-- discharge histamine and heparin to encourage blood flow to damaged area

angranulocytesMONOCYTES-- react to inflammation signals LYMPHOCYTES-- t cells: attack tumor cells, b cells: make antibodies, nk cells: prevent cancer 7

Gas/Nutrient Exchange

"Oxygen is transported from the lungs to the cells. CO2 (a waste) is transported from the cells to the lungs." 5

Blood is oxygenated in the lungs.

Gas/Nutrient Exchange

Capillaries are so tiny, that only one Red Blood Cell can squeeze through at a time. 11

The "squeezing" causes the Red Blood Cell to make contact with the Capillary wall. 11

Contact allows for gas exchange to easily occur between epithelial cells 11

CO2, H2O, and waste are

transported into the blood

O2 is transported into the surrounding tissue

Gas/Nutrient Exchange (cont'd)-The majority of gas and nutrient exchange occurs in the capillaries of the body.

-Nutrients and Oxygen diffuse across the membrane between the capillaries and the cells. 8

-A cell is no more than 20 to 30 microns from any capillary. That is every cell (100 trillion of them) in the body has a capillary no further than 20 to 30 microns delivering oxygen and fundamental nutrients.10

Bibliography1. "Circulatory System." Biology at Clermont College - University of Cincinnati. Clermont College, n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2010. <http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/Bio105/circulat.htm>.

2. "Lesson 8 - The Circulatory System." Natural Health School. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2010. <http://www.naturalhealthschool.com

3."Circulatory System." About The Human Body. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2010. <www.fi.edu/learn/heart/system4."Red Blood Cells: Riding on the Red Road." Franklin Institute . Franklin Institute, n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2010.

<www.fi.edu/learn/heart/blood/red.html >. 5."Circulatory System." Faculty.Clintoncc. Clinton CC, n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2010. <faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/michael.gregory/files/bio%20102/bio%20102%20lectures/circulatory%20system/circulat.htm>. 6. "Blood Vessels: Veins - The Human Heart: An Online Exploration from The Franklin Institute, Made Possible by Unisys." The Human Heart. The Franklin Institute. Web. 08 Nov. 2010. <http://www.fi.edu/learn/heart/vessels/veins.html>.7. "White Blood Cells." Welcome to Wisc-Online.com. Web. 08 Nov. 2010. <http://www.wisc-online.com/objects/ViewObject.aspx?ID=AP14704>.

8. Raven, Peter, and George Johnson. "Circulatory Systems - Biology Encyclopedia - body, animal, organs, blood, separated, major, temperature, first, transport, tissues, leaves." Biology Reference. McGraw-Hill, n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2010. <http://www.biologyreference.com/Ce-Co/Circulatory-Systems.html>.

Bibliography

9. Bailey, Regina. "Capillary."Biology. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2010. <http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/ss/capillary.htm

10.Yahya, Harun. "The Miracle of The Blood and Heart." Harun Yahya - An Invitation to The Truth. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2010. <http://www.harunyahya.com/b

11. Starr, Cecie, and Ralph Taggart. Diversity of life: Biology: The unity and diversity of life. 9 ed. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Publ., 2001. Print.