Circulatory System Flashcards
The function of the Circulatory System: (6)
Transport system
- In relation to respiratory system, it transports O2 + CO2
- In relation to excretory system, it transports waste products
- In relation to digestive system, it transports nutrients + metabolites
- In relation to endocrine system, it transports hormones
- In relation to immune system, it transports defence mechanisms (white blood cells)
- Transports heat in form of energy (vasodilate + vasoconstrict)
3 components of the circulatory system:
BLOOD
HEART
BLOOD VESSELS
What is blood? (3)
- Primary transport medium
- About 5 L
- Red blood cells (erythrocytes) + White blood cells (leukocytes) + Platelets + Plasma = Blood
RBCs = have haemoglobin which carries Oxygen
WBCs = immune response, fight against infection
Platelets = blood clotting
Plasma = fluid portion to help transport ions, nutrients etc.
What are blood vessels? (4)
- Help connect different systems
- Arteries – carry blood to tissues
- Capillary bed – main sight of gaseous exchange
- Veins – carry blood towards heart
What is the heart?
- Muscular pump to propel blood through blood vessels
What is the open circulatory system? (2)
- Common in insects
- Has a pump with blood vessels that aren’t closed therefore the haemolymph (blood equivalent) bathes the cells/tissues and then gets sucked back into the pump by negative pressure so that cycle can continue again.
What is the closed circulatory system? (3)
- Humans
- Blood stays in the blood vessels
- Pressure helps nutrients, oxygen to bathe
cells via interstitial fluid
Single loop circulatory system/Single Circulation:
- One ventricle/one atrium
Double loop circulatory system/Double Circulation: (3)
- Blood is returned to the heart before going to the other tissues
- Advantage: Allows for extra pumping of blood, ensuring blood is pumped at high speed to tissues with high metabolic rates and so the blood is pumped at high pressure
- In Amphibians and reptiles, ventricle is not separated so there is mixing of blood which accounts for the different way in which they breathe
What is the pulmonary circuit?
Deoxygenated blood that returned to the heart is pumped to the lungs via the pulmonary artery (only
artery that carries deoxygenated blood). This pulmonary artery transports the blood to the lungs where it picks up the oxygen and then oxygenated blood is transported back to the heart via the pulmonary vein (only vein that carries oxygenated blood).
What is the systemic circuit?
Allows blood to flow to head, arms, digestive system, lower limbs. Oxygenated blood exits the heart via the major artery, aorta. Aorta splits into multiple arteries and further arterioles and then into arteries where gaseous exchange in the tissues occurs. These capillaries then join to form venules with deoxygenated blood and then into veins to return deoxygenated blood back to heart.
Blood flow in human circulatory system: (6)
- Deoxygenated blood returns from body into right atrium via vena cava.
- Deoxygenated blood flows from right atrium into right
ventricle and enter the Pulmonary circuit. - The deoxygenated blood enters the pulmonary artery and goes to lungs.
- In the lungs, CO2 is released, and oxygen is picked up making oxygenated blood, flowing to the left atrium via pulmonary vein.
- Oxygenated blood flows from left atrium into left ventricle and enter the Systemic circuit.
- The oxygenated blood enters the aorta and goes to body.
Blood flow in a foetal circulatory system: (2)
For foetus, it obtains all oxygen from placenta. The oxygen rich blood from placenta mixes with the venous blood returning to right atrium. Since lungs are non-
functional, it would be a waste of energy to send blood to lungs therefore blood is rerouted via a small whole
between the 2 atria called foramen ovale. Nearly 48% of
blood that comes into right atrium flows into left atrium.
Ductus arteriosus connects pulmonary artery to aorta to
reduce blood flow to non-functional lungs. 40% is routed via the ductus arteriosus to the rest of the body to deliver oxygenated blood to cells. Therefore only 11% of blood is sent to lungs so that lungs continue to grow.
As baby takes first breath, the change in pressure causes close in a valve over the foramen ovule to prevent mixing of blood. Smooth muscle around ductus arteriosus constricts, forming closure so that it becomes
a filament. This ensures blood flows back to lungs to form double loop system. If foramen ovale does not
close, lead to whole in the heart (ASD – arterial septal defect).
What are the differences between arteries and veins? (6)
Direction of blood, Blood content, Blood pressure, Valves, Wall and Lumen (central tube).
Blood vessels
Artery → _______ → capillaries → _______ → Veins
arterioles
venules
Both arteries and veins contain same 3 basic layers:
- Tunica intima = endothelium + loose connective tissue
- Tunica media = smooth muscle
- Tunica externa = collagen fibres
Fluid within the blood vessels has a different composition to the ______ fluid.
interstitial
Two opposing pressures control movement of fluid:
- Hydrostatitc/Fluid pressure – pressure exerted by blood
- Osmotic pressure (due to osmosis) – due to high content of proteins, cells etc in blood, fluid will driven back into the capillaries
If ______ pressure is higher than the _____ pressure, this can cause yoru solutes to be forced out of the blood vessels into the interstitial fluid.
hydrostatic
osmotic pressure
At the arterial end of the capillary, your
hydrostatic pressure __ osmotic pressure. This
leads to a ______ pressure, causing the fluid to
be foroced out into the interstitial fluid by
_______.
> positive
As the bood moves into the middle of the capillary, hydrostatic pressure lessons and hydrostatic pressure ___ osmotic pressure, leading to__________________.
=
no net movement of fluid
At the venous end, hydrostatic pressure ___
osmotic pressure which causes fluid to be
_______ back into the capillaries.
<
reabsorbed
(24 L) 80% fluid filtered out of arterial end is reabsrobed at the ______ end
(20 L). Excess 4 L is drained from______ system.
venous
lymphatic
What is the function of the lymphatic system? (2)
- Removal of excess interstital fluid that is not reabsrobed
- Filtrates interstitial fluid
Runs parallel to the lymphatic system.
Once excess _______ fluid drains into lymphatic capillaries, it is termed lymph. Lymphatic capillaries combine into collecting vessels which then are filtered through lymph _____ (site of lymphocyte multiplication). After filtering, lymph is returned to circulatory system via _____ _____ (subclavian vein) at the base of the neck.
interstitial
nodes
collecting ducts
What is Elephantiasis? (3)
- Enlargment of body region due to obstruction of lymphatic system
- A symptom of Lymphatic filariasis caused by a parasitic worm which damages the lymphatic system
- Prevents drainage of excess interstitial fluids
The Heart
- In ______ chest cavity
- Protected by ribcage and ______
- Central in thoracic cavity, slightly shifted to the left due to location of _____
- Central compartment of thoracic cavity = ________ (above diaphragm between lungs)
- Heart is surrounded by double membrane = _________ → filled with fluid which helps reduce friction by ______ heart with every heartbeat
thoracic
sternum
liver
mediastinum
pericardium
lubricating
How is blood circulated around the body? (5)
- Deoxygenated blood returns from head and arms via superior (from top) vena cava and the inferior (from bottom lower body) vena cava.
- Drain into the right atrium.
- Blood flows into right ventricle via atriaventricular valve. As ventricles contract, blood is pushed out through semilunar valve into pulmonary artery which splits into 2, one going to right lung and one to left.
- Blood offloads CO2 and picks up O2 and returns to left atrium via pulmonary veins.
- Flows through atriaventricular valve into left ventricle and as heart contracts, pushes blood out of a semilunar
valve into the great artery, aorta. There are 3 branched off the aorta. Top branches go to upper body and bottom aorta ends go to lower body.
What is the cardiac cycle? (3)
- Cardiac Diastole (0.4 s)
- Atrial Systole (0.1 s)
- Ventricular Systole (0.3 s)
What is cardiac diastole? (4)
- Relaxation between heart beats
- Atriaventricular valves are open
- Blood flows from great veins and pulmonary veins into the appropriate atrium and ventricle
- Heart is filling with blood
What is atrial systole? (2)
- Contraction of atria
- Blood is pumped from atria into ventricles
What is ventricular systole? (4)
- Contraction of ventricles
- Atriaventricular valves are closed
- Atria continue to receive blood
- Ventricular contraction forces the blood out into the
pulmonary artery + aorta trhough the semilunar valve