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Circulatory system
 
Also known as the cardiovascular system, the system that, in humans and other higher animals, deliversoxygenand nutrients throughout the body by a complex network of vessels –arteries, arterioles,capillaries,veins, and venules. Arteries, arterioles, and the microscopic capillaries carrybloodaway from theheartto all parts of the body and allow
 
exchange of nutrients and wastes through capillary walls from blood to thetissuesandorgans. Veins carry deoxygenated blood back to thelungsfor reoxygenation. If all the vessels of this network in an adult human body were laid end-to-end, they would extendfor about 60,000 miles (more than 96,500 kilometers) – far enough to circle the Earthmore than twice.As in the adult, survival of the developingembryodepends on the circulation of blood tomaintainhomeostasisand a favorable cellular environment. In response to this need,the circulatory system makes its appearance early in development and reaches afunctional state long before any other major organ system. Incredible as it seems, theprimitive heart begins to beat regularly early in the fourth week followingfertilization.The vital role of the circulatory system in maintaining homeostasis depends on thecontinuous and controlled movement of bloodthrough the thousands of miles of capillaries that permeate every tissue and reach every cell in the body. It is in themicroscopic capillaries that blood performs its ultimate transport function. Nutrients andother essential materials pass from capillary blood into fluids surrounding the cells aswaste products are removed.Numerous control mechanisms help to regulate and integrate the diverse functions andcomponent parts of the cardiovascular system in order to supply blood to specific bodyareas according to need. These mechanisms ensure a constant internal environmentsurrounding each body cell regardless of differing demands for nutrients or productionof waste products.
Circulatory pathways
 The blood vessels of the body are functionally divided into two distinctive circuits:pulmonary circuit and systemic circuit. The pump for the pulmonary circuit, whichcirculates blood through the lungs, is the rightventricle. The left ventricle is the pump for the systemic circuit, which provides the blood supply for the tissue cells of the body.Pulmonary circuit
 
Pulmonary circulation transports oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle to thelungs where blood picks up a new blood supply. Then it returns the oxygen-rich blood to theleftatrium.Systemic CircuitThe systemic circulation provides the functional blood supply to all body tissue. It carriesoxygen and nutrients to the cells and picks upcarbon dioxideand waste products.Systemic circulation carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle, through thearteries, to the capillaries in the tissues of the body. From the tissue capillaries, thedeoxygenated blood returns through a system of veins to the right atrium of the heart.
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