College: Applied Medical

Sciences
Department: Health Track

Cardiovascular System II: Blood

Vessels
Our Objectives
By the successful completion of
this presentation, you are
expected to:
Describe the structure and
function of the three types of
blood vessels
List and discuss functions of
blood.
Describe the composition of
blood

Specific Learning Outcomes

 Blood Vessels
Blood is carried between the heart and body through blood vessels
The closed system of blood vessels and the heart forms the blood
circulation
The three major types of vessels are arteries, capillaries, and veins
Types of Blood Vessels
Arteries carry blood away from the heart
Veins carry blood toward the heart
Capillaries contact tissue cells and serve cellular needs

Arteries transports substances (O2 & nutrients) to cells and veins

collects waste products.
Structure of Blood Vessels
Arteries and veins are composed of three layers
(tunics):
tunica interna, tunica media, and tunica externa
Lumen: central blood-containing space surrounded by
tunics
Capillaries are composed of endothelium with basal
lamina
Structure of Blood Vessels

Figure 19.1b
Comparison of Artery & Vein
Artery, Vein & Capillary
Types of Circulation
The vascular system has two distinct circulations:
Pulmonary circulation – short loop that
runs from the heart to the lungs and back to the
heart
Systemic circulation – routes blood
through a long loop to all parts of the body and
returns to the heart
Pulmonary Circulation

Figure 19.17a
Systemic Circulation

Figure 19.18
Components of Blood
Plasma: dissolves or carries other blood components,
nutrients and waste
Red blood corpuscles (RBCs): transport oxygen in
hemoglobin molecules
White blood cells (leukocytes): eat up pathogens and
dead cells (phagocytes) or act in immune response
(lymphocytes).
Platelets: clotting blood following damage to blood
vessels
Components of Blood
The composition of human blood
Red Blood corpuscles
The RBC stem cells in the bone marrow divide and produce
new cells, which differentiate into mature RBCs.
As red blood cells mature, they acquire hemoglobin and lose
their nucleus and other internal organelles.
The lack of internal organelles means that RBCs are incapable
of conducting many of the functions of other eukaryotic cells
in the body. They lack:
1. Mitochondria (cellular respiration)
2. The cytoskeleton (move through narrow capillary beds)
3. A nucleus (unable repair cellular damage).
Therefore, after 120 days, RBCs are phagocytized by white blood
cells (macrophages) in the liver and spleen.
The hemoglobin is broken down into its components; globin
(amino acids), the iron (to the bone marrow) and the heme
portion (excreted by the liver and kidneys).
The kidneys release a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO),
which stimulates the stem cells in bone marrow to produce more
red blood cells.
They are also very abundant; there are 4 to 6 million
red blood cells per μl of whole blood.
RBCs contain hemoglobin (Hb), a pigment with a high
affinity (attraction) for oxygen.
Hemoglobin contain an iron-containing group (Heme)
combines reversibly with oxygen.
When oxygen binds to heme in the lungs, hemoglobin is
called oxyhemoglobin.
In the tissues, heme gives up this oxygen, and
hemoglobin is called deoxyhemoglobin.
White Blood Cells (WBCs; Leukocytes)
White blood cells (leukocytes) differ from red blood cells in that they
are usually 1. larger, 2. have a nucleus, 3. lack hemoglobin, and 4.
are translucent unless stained.
White blood cells are only 5,000–11,000/μl of blood.
There are several types of white blood cells and the production of
each type is regulated by a protein called a colony stimulating factor
(CSF).
White blood cells are able to squeeze through pores in the capillary
wall; therefore, they are also found in interstitial fluid and lymph.
White blood cells have various ways to fight infection.
An antigen is a cell or other substance foreign to the individual that
invokes an immune response.
Types of White Blood Cells
White blood cells are classified as either granular leukocytes or
a granular leukocytes.
Granular Leukocytes ((polymorphonuclear leukocytes)
The granular leukocytes include 1. neutrophils, 2. eosinophils,
and 3. basophils. Neutrophils (50–70%): they have a multi-lobed
nucleus (first line of defense).
Eosinophils (red granules) have a bilobed nucleus (against large
parasites, the phagocytosis of the allergens).
Basophils (blue granules) are a U shaped or lobed nucleus.
In the connective tissues, basophils and similar cells called mast
cells release histamine associated with allergic reactions.
A granular Leukocytes
A granular leukocyte include the lymphocytes and the monocytes.
Lymphocytes account for 25–35% of all white blood cells.
Therefore, they are the second most abundant type of white blood
cell.
Lymphocytes are responsible for specific immunity to particular
pathogens and toxins (poisonous substances).
The lymphocytes are of two types: B cells and T cells.
Mature B cells called plasma cells produce antibodies
Some T cells (cytotoxic T cells) directly destroy pathogens.
Monocytes (macrophage) are the largest of the white blood cells
with high capacity in phagocytosis (second line of defense).
Platelets (thrombocytes, 130-400x103/μl) result from the
fragmentation of megakaryocytes.
It involved in the blood coagulation
Blood Clotting
The blood clotting process helps the body maintain homeostasis by
prevent blood losses (12 clotting factors + calcium ions; Ca2+).
Platelets clump at the site of the puncture and partially seal the
leak.
Platelets and damaged tissue cells release prothrombin activator,
which acts on prothrombin in the presence of Ca2+ to produce
thrombin.
Thrombin acts on fibrinogen in the presence of Ca2+ to form fibrin
After healing, an enzyme called plasmin destroys the fibrin
network, so that tissue cells can grow.
After the blood clots, a yellowish fluid called serum escapes
from the clot.
It contains all the components of plasma except fibrinogen
and prothrombin.
Summary
There are 3 types of blood vessels:
arteries, veins and capillaries
Arteries carries oxygenated blood
from the heart to the body parts,
while veins carries de-oxygenated
blood to the heart
Blood is a fliud medium that carries
oxygen and nutrients to the body and
remove waste
Blood is composed of plasma and
cellular elements
References
Human Biology 14th Edition. by Sylvia Mader and Michael
Windelspecht ISBN-13: 978-0073525464, ISBN-10:
0073525464. Pages 94 – 96, 115 - 117.
THANK YOU