The Circulatory system, also known as the cardio-

vascular system, is a vast network of organs and blood

vessels that acts both as a delivery of nutrients and waste
removal system for the body. Nutrients, oxygen and hor-
mones are delivered to every cell and as these necessities
are provided, waste products such as carbon dioxide are
removed.
3 MAJOR PARTS OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

1. Heart– pumps the blood throughout the body

2. Blood vessel—carries the blood throughout the
body
*Arteries– carry oxygenated blood away from
the heart to the cells, tissues, and
organs of the body
*Veins—carry deoxygenated blood to the heart
*Capillaries—the smallest blood vessels in the
body, connecting the smallest
arteries to the smallest veins
- the actual site where gases and
nutrients are exchanged
3. Blood– carries the materials throughout the body
What is the heart’s function?
Your heart’s main function is to move blood throughout your body. Your
heart also:

• Controls the rhythm and speed of your heart rate.

• Maintains your blood pressure.

Where is your heart located?

Your heart is located in the front of your chest. It sits slightly behind and to
the left of your sternum (breastbone). Your ribcage protects your heart.

What side is your heart on?

Your heart is slightly on the left side of your body. It sits between your right
and left lungs. The left lung is slightly smaller to make room for the heart in
your left chest.

How big is your heart?

Everyone’s heart is a slightly different size. Generally, adult hearts are about Heart valves
the same size as two clenched fists, and children’s hearts are about the same Your heart valves are like doors between
size as one clenched fist. your heart chambers. They open and
close to allow blood to flow through.
How much does your heart weigh?
On average, an adult’s heart weighs about 10 ounces. Your heart may weigh a
little more or a little less, depending on your body size and sex. The atrioventricular (AV) valves open
between your upper and lower heart
chambers. They include:
What are the parts of the heart’s anatomy?
The parts of your heart are like the parts of a house. Your heart has:
• Tricuspid valve: Door between your
• Walls. right atrium and right ventricle.
• Chambers (rooms). • Mitral valve: Door between your left
• Valves (doors). atrium and left ventricle.
• Blood vessels (plumbing). Semilunar (SL) valves open when
Electrical conduction system (electricity). blood flows out of your ventricles.
They include:
Heart walls
Your heart walls are the muscles that contract (squeeze) and relax to Aortic valve: Opens when blood flows
send blood throughout your body. A layer of muscular tissue called the out of your left ventricle to
septum divides your heart walls into the left and right sides. your aorta (artery that carries oxy-
gen-rich blood to your body).
Your heart walls have three layers: Pulmonary valve: Opens when blood
flows from your right ventricle to
your pulmonary arteries (the only arter-
• Endocardium: Inner layer.
ies that carry oxygen-poor blood to your
• Myocardium: Muscular middle layer. lungs).
• Epicardium: Protective outer layer.
The epicardium is one layer of your pericardium. The pericardium is a
protective sac that covers your entire heart. It produces fluid to lubri- Blood vessels
cate your heart and keep it from rubbing against other organs. Your heart pumps blood through three
types of blood vessels:
Heart chambers
Your heart is divided into four chambers. You have two chambers on the top
(atrium, plural atria) and two on the bottom (ventricles), one on each side of • Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood
the heart. from your heart to your body’s tis-
sues. The exception is your pulmo-
nary arteries, which go to your
• Right atrium: Two large veins deliver oxygen-poor blood to your right lungs.
atrium. The superior vena cava carries blood from your upper body. The
inferior vena cava brings blood from the lower body. Then the right atri- • Veins carry oxygen-poor blood back
um pumps the blood to your right ventricle. to your heart.
Right ventricle: The lower right chamber pumps the oxygen-poor blood to
your lungs through the pulmonary artery. The lungs reload blood with • Capillaries are small blood vessels
oxygen. where your body exchanges oxygen-
• Left atrium: After the lungs fill blood with oxygen, the pulmonary veins rich and oxygen-poor blood.
carry the blood to the left atrium. This upper chamber pumps the blood to Your heart receives nutrients through a
your left ventricle. network of coronary arteries. These
arteries run along your heart’s sur-
Left ventricle: The left ventricle is slightly larger than the right. It pumps face. They serve the heart itself.
oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body.
Circulation Begins in Your Heart
The circulatory system begins in your right atrium, the upper right-hand chamber of
your heart. Blood moves from the right side of your heart through your lungs to get rid
of carbon dioxide and pick up oxygen, and then returns to the left side of your heart,
ending up in the left ventricle. The left ventricle is the strongest part of the heart,
since it must pump blood out to the rest of the body.

When it comes to circulating blood throughout your body, the left ventricle is the
most important chamber in the heart. The left ventricle is the largest of the four
chambers and is responsible for generating the force necessary to propel your blood
out of your aorta, the first artery your blood enters as it leaves your heart.

From Your Aorta to Your Capillaries

Your blood travels from your aorta through a series of smaller blood vessels until it
reaches your capillaries. Before reaching your capillaries, however, blood must travel
through the arterioles, where its speed and pressure are constantly adjusted as
different segments of the arterioles change diameter in response to pressure and
chemical sensors positioned nearby. These sensors adjust blood flow via the arteri-
oles in response to changing conditions in your body.

Because of arteriole action, by the time your blood reaches your capillaries, it is no
longer traveling in a pulsing fashion. Blood flows continuously through the capil-
laries, it does not "squirt" and "pause" as your heart beats. This continuous flow is
necessary because there is a constant exchange of oxygen and nutrients happening
in the capillary walls. No cell in the body is far from a capillary.

Back to Your Heart and All Over Again

As blood travels through the capillaries, its supply of oxygen is reduced and has picked
up waste products as well. From the capillaries, blood enters the venules, the veins,
and then travels back to the heart to be refreshed and sent out once again.

In conclusion, your heart works like a pump which

provides nutrients to every organ, tissue, and cell
throughout your body. In turn, your cells dump
waste products, like carbon dioxide, back into your
blood to be returned to your heart.
What is blood? What are the functions of blood cells?
Blood is the life-maintaining fluid that circulates through the entire The main job of red blood cells, or erythrocytes, is to carry oxygen from
body. the lungs to the body tissues and carbon dioxide as a waste product,
away from the tissues and back to the lungs. Hemoglobin (Hgb) is an
What is the function of blood? important protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs
Blood carries the following to the body tissues: to all parts of our body.

The main job of white blood cells, or leukocytes, is to fight infection.

• Nourishment
There are several types of white blood cells, and each has its own role in
• Electrolytes fighting bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections. Types of white
• Hormones blood cells that are most important for helping protect the body from
• Vitamins infection and foreign cells include the following:
• Antibodies
• Heat • Neutrophils
• Oxygen • Eosinophils
• Immune cells (cells that fight infection) • Lymphocytes
Blood carries the following away from the body tissues: • Monocytes
• Basophils
• Waste matter White blood cells:
• Carbon dioxide
• Help heal wounds not only by fighting infection but also by ingesting
What are the components of blood? matter, such as dead cells, tissue debris, and old red blood cells.
• Protect you from foreign bodies that enter the bloodstream, such as
The components of human blood are: allergens.
• Are involved in the protection against mutated cells, such as cancer.
• Plasma. The liquid component of the blood in which the follow- The main job of platelets, or thrombocytes, is blood clotting. Platelets are
ing blood cells are suspended: much smaller in size than the other blood cells. They group together to
• Red blood cells (erythrocytes). These carry oxygen from the form clumps, or a plug, in the hole of a vessel to stop bleeding.
lungs to the rest of the body
• White blood cells (leukocytes). These help fight infections and
aid in the immune process. Types of white blood cells include:
What is a complete blood cell count (CBC)?
• Lymphocytes A CBC count is a measurement of size, number, and maturity of the dif-
• Monocytes ferent blood cells in the blood sample. A CBC can be used to find prob-
• Eosinophils lems with either the production or destruction of blood cells. Variations
• Basophils from the normal number, size, or maturity of the blood cells can be used
• Neutrophils to mean there is an infection or disease process. Often with an infection,
• Platelets (thrombocytes). These help in blood clotting. the number of white blood cells will be elevated. Many forms of cancer
can affect the production of blood cells. For instance, an increase in the
immature white blood cells in a CBC can be associated with leukemia.
Where are blood cells made? Blood diseases, such as anemia and sickle cell disease, will cause an
Blood cells are made in the bone marrow. The bone marrow is the abnormally low hemoglobin.
spongy material in the center of the bones that makes all types
of blood cells.

There are other organs and systems in our bodies that help regulate
blood cells. The lymph nodes, spleen, and liver help regulate the
production, destruction, and function of cells. The production and
development of new cells in the bone marrow is a process called
hematopoiesis.

Blood cells formed in the bone marrow start out as stem cells. A stem
cell (or hematopoietic stem cell) is the first phase of all blood cells. As
the stem cell matures, several distinct cells evolve. These include red
blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Immature blood cells are
also called blasts. Some blasts stay in the marrow to mature. Others
travel to other parts of the body to develop into mature, functioning
blood cells.