Circulatory System Flashcards
Pulmonary Circulation
Pulmonary artery takes deoxygenated blood to lungs to drop off CO2 and pick up O2 and return to the heart through pulmonary veins
Systemic Circulation
Aorta takes oxygenated blood around body to tissues and deoxygenated blood returns to heart through superior and inferior vena cava
Coronary Circulation
Circulation of blood in the blood vessels of the heart muscle (myocardium) that deliver, oxygen-rich blood to the heart itself, so it can function
Heart Characteristics
- About size of a clenched fist
- Has three layers (endocardium, myocardium and pericardium)
Arteries: Function
- Take blood away from the heart
- Always carry oxygenated blood, EXCEPT pulmonary artery (deoxygenated blood to lungs)
- deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues
- High pressure vessels
Arteries: Structure
- Small lumen and thick muscle layer (high BP)
- Elastic and collagen fibres (push blood)
- Fibrous tissue support and hold artery in place
Arterioles: Function
- Very small arterioles
- Change their diameter to BP and blood flow to different tissues
- Constrict = increase BP upstream, decrease BP downstream
Arterioles: Structure
- Smooth muscle: contracts and allow vessel to constrict, then dilates when it relaxes
Capillaries: Function
- Allow substances to diffuse out of blood into tissue and into blood from tissues
Capillaries: Structure
- Single layer of epithelial cells: easy for oxygen and nutrients to diffuse through
- Some have fenestration (holes) to facilitate diffusion
Veins: Function
- Veins always return blood TO the heart
- Always carry deoxygenated blood EXCEPT pulmonary veins (oxygenated blood from lungs to heart)
- Deliver wastes and deoxygenated blood to heart
- Lower pressure vessels, but hold much more blood than arteries because they expand easy
Veins: Structure
- Thin walls with few elastic fibres
- Large lumen for easy blood flow
- No contractions by vessels, thus:
> Veins are located near muscles to produce compression flow
> Veins have valve to prevent back flow of blood