Introduction to

Circulatory System and

Lymphatic System

Asso Prof Dr G M Kibria

UoC-2023/24
15/11/23
 Learning objectives
At the end of the session, you will be able to
1. Describe the functions of circulatory system (C2, CLO1).
2. Differentiate the two types of circulatory system (C3, CLO1).
3. Describe the basic structural plan of vessels (C2, CLO1).
4. Explain the terms anastomosis, end-arteries, venae comitantes, and
cavernous tissue with examples (C2, CLO1).
5. Describe the components of portal circulation (C2, CLO1).
6. Describe the components and functions of the lymphatic system (C2, CLO1).
LO 1
CIRCULATION
The circulatory system transports fluids throughout the body & thus it
• Provides the oxygen (O2) & nutrients to the organs, muscles & tissues; keeps them
healthy and alive.
• Helps the body to get rid of carbon dioxide (CO2) & metabolic waste products.

Circulatory system consists of cardiovascular (blood circulation) and lymphatic circulation.

• Blood circulation:
– Heart pumps the blood into blood vessels (vascular system).
– Blood vessels (artery, capillary, vein) are the transportation network throughout the
body.
• Lymph circulation:
– Lymphatic vessels
– Lymph nodes
LO 2
Two types (theories) of blood circulatory system

• Closed circulatory system: Blood

is circulated through vessels such
as arteries, capillaries, veins.

• Open circulatory system:

Through the capillary wall blood
pass through & fills the body
interstitial (intercellular) space,
where tissues & cells directly
bathe (e.g., in spleen).
LO 1,2
Blood circulation
Oxygenation
(Right & Left) Heart pumps the blood in TWO different
components of the circulation.
➢ Pulmonary circulation (RV to LA):
• Right ventricle propels low-oxygen blood into lung via
pulmonary arteries; carbon dioxide is exchanged for
oxygen in the capillaries of the lungs.
• The oxygen-rich blood is returned via the pulmonary
veins to the heart’s left atrium. Ex s
ch nt
ang ri e
➢ Systemic circulation (LV to RA): e of O &
2
N ut

• Left ventricle propels the oxygen-rich blood through systemic arteries (aorta and its
branches), exchanging oxygen & nutrients for carbon dioxide & metabolic wastes in
the body’s capillaries.
• Low-oxygen blood returns to the heart’s right atrium via systemic veins (tributaries
of the superior & inferior vena cava).
 LO 1,5
Other components of Blood circulation
➢ Portal circulation (arterial portal & venous portal):
• In some situations, blood passes through two capillary
beds before returning to the heart; a venous system
linking these two capillary beds constitutes a portal
venous system.
• The venous system by which nutrient-rich blood passes
from the capillary beds of the alimentary tract to the
capillary beds (or sinusoids) of the liver—the hepatic
portal system—is the major example.
• Portal arterial system is present in kidney, artery links
two capillary beds.

➢ Coronary circulation: for the heart only

➢ Foetal circulation is in embryonic & foetal period.
LO 1,2 Types of blood vessels
• Arteries: Blood under high pressure leaves the heart & distributed throughout body via
the (thick walled) artery system. The final distributing vessels are the arterioles & they
deliver the oxygen-rich blood into capillary system.
• Capillaries: Capillaries form the capillary bed, where the exchange (oxygen, nutrients,
waste products, & other substances) with the extracellular fluid occurs. Low-oxygen blood
from the capillary bed passes into thin-walled venules.
• Veins: Venules drain into small & larger veins that open into largest veins, the superior &
inferior venae cavae, return low-oxygen blood to the heart. Valves are present in vein &
maintain one-way blood flow.

Vein

Artery Capillary
LO 3
Basic structure of vascular wall: 3 layers or tunics in the wall of vessels
1. Tunica intima
intima: (innermost) 2. Tunica media:
media Thicker in arteries than in vein
Endothelium: Simple squamous epithelium Connective tissue fibers & Smooth muscle
Subendothelium: Loose connective tissue, 3. Tunica adventitia:
adventitia (outer)
few smooth muscle Connective tissue fibers
Internal elastic lamina: Elastic fibers Connective tissue cells

11/15/2023 8
LO 3
Functionally blood vessels are

• The structural changes in

the wall of different
types of arteries or veins
are gradual.
• No sharp demarcation is
there.
LO 1,3
Functionally blood vessels are:
➢ Conducting vessels: Large or elastic arteries (>10 mm) facilitates the propagation of blood
onward through arterial system during ventricular diastole.
➢ Distributing vessels: Medium or muscular arteries (1-10 mm) regulate the distribution of
blood in different parts or organs of the body; thus, they help the shifting of blood from
one area (organ) to another area (organ).
➢ Resistance vessels: Small arteries, arteriole, met-arteriole & pre-capillary sphincter (<0.1
mm) have narrow lumina & thick muscular wall, provide the resistance to blood flow.
• They help to maintain the arterial pressure within the vascular system by the degree of
tonus (firmness) in the smooth muscle. If the tonus is above normal, hypertension
(high blood pressure) results.
• The degree of capillary-bed filling are also regulated by these vessels.

➢ Exchange vessels: Capillary, sinusoid & post-capillary venule; through the wall of these
vessels there occur the gaseous & nutrients exchange with interstitial fluid.
➢ Reservoir or capacitance vessels: Small & large veins having thin wall can reserve extra
amount of blood. 80% of the blood occupies in the veins, whereas 20% in arteries.
LO 3 Veins
• Veins are more abundant than arteries, their wall is thinner (thin tunica media), but
diameter is usually larger than that of the corresponding artery.
• The thin walls allow veins to have large capacity for expansion and do so when blood-return
to the heart is impeded by compression or internal pressures (e.g., after taking a large
breath and holding it; this is called the Valsalva manoeuvre). Heart Heart

B ra n
➢ Venules are the smallest veins, drain capillary beds and join similar h

c
of
veins to form small vein. Small veins are the tributaries of large veins a r te r y
n

i e
➢ Medium veins accompany medium (distributing) arteries.

of v y
➢ Large veins like vena cavae are characterized by wide bundles of

Tributar
longitudinal smooth muscle and a well-developed tunica adventitia.
LO 1,3
Superficial veins & deep veins

➢ Superficial veins of the limbs are subcutaneous & external to the deep fascia.
➢ Perforating veins are along the course of superficial veins & penetrate the deep
fascia, continuously shunting blood to the
➢ Deep veins to assist the return of blood to the heart. Deep veins in the limbs are as
vena comitantes.
 LO 1,3
Venae comitantes
• These are the veins, that accompany the deep arteries, specially in the limbs, & tend
to be double or multiple.
• These double or multiple veins surround the
artery in an irregular branching network.
• This arrangement serves as a countercurrent
heat exchanger, the warm arterial blood
warming the cooler venous blood as it
returns to the heart from a cold limb.
• Arteriovenous pump: When the artery
expands during contraction of the heart,
these veins are stretched and flattened &
aids in driving venous blood toward the heart
(arteriovenous pump).
LO 1,3
Venous valves are folds of endothelium.
• In the locations where the flow of blood is
opposed by the gravity (e.g., in limbs), the
veins have valves.

• When the venous column is full above the level

of each valve, the valve cusps occlude the
lumen, thereby preventing backflow of blood
distally, & making flow unidirectional toward
the heart only.

• The valvular mechanism also breaks columns of

blood in the veins into shorter segments,
reducing back pressure, reducing venous
engorgements in dependent body parts.
 LO 1,3
Important notes on structure of blood vessel wall
• Elastic fibres predominate in larger artery wall; allow repeated distension & recoil of the
artery wall. They also damp the effects of ventricular systole & lessen pressure gradient.
• Elastic laminae show wavy appearance under microscope, found in artery & large arterioles.
• Smooth muscles are oriented circularly in tunica media but longitudinally in subendothelium.
Smooth muscles predominate in muscular artery.

• In arteriole: 1 or 2 layers of smooth muscles

• In met-arteriole: discontinuous layer of
smooth muscle
• Pre-capillary sphincter: simple ring of
smooth muscle around the beginning of
capillary
• In capillary wall, only endothelium is there &
is encircled by the cells called pericytes
(replacing tunica media).
11/15/2023 15
 LO 1,3
Capillaries can be either: • In capillary wall, only
endothelium with
basal lamina is there.
• Basal lamina in
sinusoid capillary
may be fenestrated &
Fenestrated with Fenestrated without Sinusoid/Fenestrated discontinuous.
Somatic/
diaphragm diaphragm discontinuous basal lamina
Continuous

• Hydrostatic pressure in the arterioles forces fluid

containing oxygen & nutrients out of the arterial end
of the capillary bed into the extracellular spaces.

• Allow the exchange with cells of the surrounding tissue.

• At the venous end of the capillary bed, most of this ECF—now containing waste products
and carbon dioxide—is reabsorbed into the blood because of the osmotic pressure from
the higher concentrations of proteins within the capillary.
LO 1,3

➢ Microvasculature:
• Lumen < 0.1 mm
• Small arteries &
arterioles regulate the
capillary bed filling.
• Arteriole & associated
capillaries with post-
capillary venules are the
functional unit or
microcirculatory bed.
➢ Macrovasculature:
• Lumen > 0.1 mm &
visible by naked eye.
LO 1,3
Atherosclerosis (hardening) of arteries
• Deposition of cholesterol within smooth muscle cells & macrophage (foam cell) in
subendothelium.
• Proliferation of smooth muscle cell
& connective tissue elements
• Later the calcium deposit forms an
atheromatous plaque (atheroma).
• Well-demarcated, hardened yellow
areas or swellings on the intimal
surfaces of arteries.
• Focal thickening of intima &
narrowing of the lumen of the
vessels
• Loss of elasticity of the arterial walls
11/15/2023 18
LO 1,3
Atherosclerosis (hardening) of arteries
• Focal thickening of intima → surface
irregularity may result in thrombosis &
may occlude the artery.
• This thrombus may also be flushed into
the bloodstream and block smaller
vessels distally as an embolus.
• The consequences of thrombosis &
embolus from atherosclerosis include
ischemia (reduction of blood supply)
and infarction (local death, or necrosis).
• These are particularly significant in the
Heart (ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction or heart attack),
Brain (stroke), and
Distal parts of limbs (gangrene/necrosis).
LO 4
Cavernous tissue

• These are vascular erectile tissue present in

penis & clitoris.
• This tissue contains large number of venous
spaces lined with endothelium.
• These endothelium lined spaces are
separated by trabeculae of collagenous &
elastic fibres, smooth muscles & nerve
fibres.
 LO 4
Vascular anastomosis
➢ Arterial anastomosis: Present more around joints.
• Anastomosis among arteries of equal caliber.
• Smaller branches anastomose frequently.
• Provide a collateral circulation or alternate pathway that ensures the
blood supply to structures distal to the blockage if any.
• However, sometime the collateral pathways require time to open
adequately.
Vein Artery
➢ Arterio-venous anastomosis
anastomosis: Vascular shunt s h u nt
• Bypassing the capillary to prevent the loss of heat
• More in face, tongue, erectile tissue, nasal
mucosa, thyroid gland s h nt
u
➢ Venous anastomosis:
anastomosis e.g.,
Venae comitantes
LO 4
End-artery (terminal artery)
There are areas where collateral circulation does not exist or is inadequate to replace the
main channel (if blocked).
➢ True (anatomical) end artery: Arteries that do not anastomose with adjacent arteries.
• Occlusion of an end artery interrupts the blood supply to the structure it supplies.
• Central artery of retina is a true end artery, where occlusion will result in blindness.
Anatomical Functional
➢ Functional end artery: Arteries with ineffectual anastomoses end artery end artery

• Have anastomosis but functionally insufficient to continue

collateral circulation if main channel is blocked suddenly.
• Arteries supplying the brain (deeper part), heart, liver,
kidneys, spleen, and intestines.
LO 6
Lymphatic circulation
➢ Formation of lymph:

• Arterial end of capillary-more hydrostatic pressure.

• Plasma comes out in interstitial space- interstitial fluid.
• Interstitial fluid returns in capillary at venous end as
low capillary pressure (less amount than comes out).
• Remaining interstitial fluid enters lymph capillaries as Blind end Lymph
Lymph vessel
lymph. capillaries

➢Lymphatic circulation absent in:

Avascular areas like epidermis, nail, hair, cornea, cartilage;
Nerve tissue & bone marrow
Capillary in capillary bed
LO 6
Lymphatic circulation
➢ Capillary of lymphatic system:

• Starts as blind end

• Single layer endothelium but no
fenestration
• Thin wall
• No tight junction
• Mostly discontinuous basal lamina
• Highly permeable
• Larger molecules & foreign particles can enter inside easily.
• Unidirectional flow of lymph
 LO 6
lymphatic vessels

➢ Lymphatic capillary:
➢ Large lymphatic vessels:
• Wall contains connective tissue & bundles of smooth
muscle.
• Lymphatic vessels possess valves (unidirectional flow)
➢ Superficial lymphatic vessels:
• Subcutaneous & accompany superficial veins, some
connect with deep lymph vessels.
➢ Deep lymphatic vessels:
• Accompany deep arteries & veins.
LO 6
Regional groups of lymph node
➢ Lymph nodes are arranged largely in
regional groups. Pericranial nodes
(base of head)
➢ The foreign particles carried in node are Cervical nodes
destroyed by phagocytic cells in lymph (along internal
jugular vein) Tracheal nodes
nodes.
(along trachea
Axillary nodes & bronchus)
➢ Lymph traverse a series of lymph node
Deep
groups before reaching the major lymph abdominal Inguinal nodes
collecting ducts, like thoracic duct. nodes (groin, along
(posterior
• These groups are Local group, some inguinal ligament )
abdominal
intermediary groups & terminal group. wall)
• Lymph from thyroid gland, oesophagus
drain directly to thoracic duct. Femoral nodes
(along femoral vein)
LO 6
Major lymph ducts open into the vein
Jugular trunk
ian trunk Subclavian trunk
v
bcla
u
S

Thoracic duct Subclavian trunk Jugular trunk

Bronchomediastinal trunk
trunk Broncho-
a l
stin mediastinal
ia
ed trunk
m
ho
nc
Bro

Thoracic
Thoracic duct: duct
• Starts from cisterna chyli in upper abdomen Cisterna
• Drain from both right & left halves of lower part of body & left half of chyli
upper part of body.
• Opens at the junction of left internal jugular & left subclavian veins.
Right lymphatic duct:
• Drain from right half of upper part of body.
• Open at the junction of right internal jugular & right subclavian veins.
LO 6

Movement of lymph

• Pressure of tissue fluid

• Contraction of neighboring muscles
• Pulsation of neighboring artery
• Respiratory movement
• Pulsatile contraction of thoracic duct
• Valves of lymph vessels
Thank you