Cardiovascular System Flashcards
What is the cardiovascular system made up of?
Blood vessels and the heart
What does blood transport around the body?
Oxygen to respiring cells Carbon dioxide away from respiring cells Digested food to the liver for processing and storage Urea from the liver to kidneys Hormones and antibodies Distributing heat
What does blood travel away from the hear in?
arteries
What special feature does the artery wall have to withstand the high pressure generated by one contraction of the heart muscle tissue
It has a thick layer of muscle and extra elastic layers
What do arteries divide into?
Smaller arterioles and continue to divide until they become capillaries
What travels through capillaries?
Red blood cells only, travelling in singe file
Why is the capillary one cell thick?
So that materials can diffuse easily to and from the blood.
What do capillaries join together to form?
Venules
What do venules join together to form?
Veins
What do veins carry?
Low pressure blood
What is the structure of a vein?
Thin layer of muscle and may include valves
What is the purpose of the valves?
To prevent blood flowing back
What is the myocardium made up of?
Cardiac muscle
What is the structure of the cardiac muscle?
Small interconnected cells
What do the interconnections allow?
The rapid spread impulses that cause the contractions of the heart from cell to cell