The Cardiovascular system

Cardiovascular System
• The circulatory system pumps and directs blood cells and
substances carried in blood to all tissues of the body.
• It includes both the blood and lymphatic vascular systems.
• This system consists of the following structures:
- The heart propels blood through the system.
- Arteries, a series of vessels efferent from the heart
that become smaller as they branch into the various organs,
carry blood to the tissues.
• Capillaries, the smallest vessels, are the sites
of O2, CO2, nutrient, and waste product
exchange between blood and tissues.
Together with the arterioles and venules,
capillaries form a complex network of thin,
called microvascular bed.
• Veins result from the convergence of venules
into a system of larger channels that continue
enlarging as they approach the heart, toward
which they carry the blood to be pumped
again.
 Heart
• Cardiac muscle in the four chambers of the heart wall
contracts rhythmically, pumping the blood through the
circulatory system .
• The heart wall consists of the following structures :
1 - Three tunics (coats)
2 - Fibrous skeleton (for attachment of valves
and separation of atrial and ventricular musculature),
3 - Conducting system (for initiation and
propagation of rhythmic contractions),
4 - Coronary vasculature (coronary arteries and
cardiac veins).
 1- Tunics of the heart

* There are Three major layers (Tunics) of the

heart wall :
a - an inner lining layer (Endocardium),
b - a middle muscular layer (Myocardium),
c - an external layer of connective tissue
(Epicardium).
 a- Endocardium

* The endocardium lines the chambers of the

heart .
* It consists of a single layer of squamous
(endothelial) cells rest on a thin subendothelial
layer of loose connective tissues .
* Between the endocardium and myocardium is
a layer of connective tissue called
subendocardial layer that contains veins ,
nerves & some Purkinje fibers.
Endocardium
 Purkinje fibers

• Branches of the heart’s impulse-conducting system,

consisting of modified cardiac muscle fibers, are
located in the subendocardial layer .
• These fibers contain a greater amount of glycogen.
• Purkinje fibers branch throughout the myocardium,
they carry continuous waves of stimulation from
the atrial nodes to the rest of the heart musculature
( produces ventricular contractions (systole)) .
Purkinje fibers
 b - Myocardium
• Is the thickest layer, consist of cardiac muscles .
• The myocardium is arranged in layers that form
complex spirals about the atria and ventricles.
• It consist of cardiac muscle cells = myocytes .
• They are different from smooth or skeletal muscle cells
due to placement of nuclei, cross striations, and
intercalated disks.
• Intercalated disks:
• Are Junctional complexes that provide connection and
communication.
• Bind myocytes and allow ion exchange to facilitate
electrical impulses to pass.
Intercalated disks

Intercalated disk
• Certain cardiac muscle fibers in the atria exhibit
dense granules in their cytoplasm.
• These granules contain Atrial Natriuretic Hormone
(ANH) , a chemical that is released in response to
atrial distension or stretching.
• The main function of this hormone is to decrease
blood pressure ,and control electrolyte homeostasis
,by promoting salt excretion , lower blood volume &
relaxes the vessel.
 c- Epicardium

• The heart is covered externally by a single

layer of simple squamous epithelium ,
supported by a layer of connective tissue called
Subepicardial layer.
• Subepicardial layer contains blood vessels,
nerves, and nerve ganglia of the heart .
• The adipose tissues that surround the heart
will accumulate in this layer.
 Pericardium
• Is a tough double layered fibroserous sac
which covers the heart.
• Composed of two layers :
- the outermost Fibrous pericardium
- the inner Serous pericardium.
• The Fibrous pericardium is made up of dense
and loose connective tissue , acts to protect the
heart and anchoring it to the surrounding walls.
 .

• Serous pericardium , is divided into two layers :

-- Parietal pericardium (fused to fibrous
pericardium),
-- Visceral pericardium which is part of the
epicardium.
• Between these two layers of serous pericardium is a
space called the pericardial cavity , filled with serous
fluid (pericardial fluid ) ,
• The function of these layers is lubricating the heart to
prevent friction during it’s activity.
Pricardium
 2-Fibrous skeleton of the heart :
• Is a dense connective tissue with collagen fibers which
forms part of the interventricular and interatrial septa,
surrounds all valves of the heart, and extends into the
valve cusps and the chordae tendineae to which they are
attached.
• These regions perform the following functions:
- Anchoring and supporting the heart valves.
-Providing firm points of insertion for cardiac
muscle.
-Helping coordinate the heartbeat by acting as
electrical isolation between atria and ventricles
 3- Conducting system of the heart:

• The impulse generating and conducting system of the

heart consist of several structures that make it possible
for the atria and ventricles to beat in succession .
• This system consisted of the followings :
1- Sinoatrial node ( SA node )
2- Atrioventricular node (AV node)
3- Atrioventricular bundle ( bundle of His)
4- Purkinje fibers
Conducting system
 1- Sinoatrial node: ( SA node )
• located close to the entrance of superior vena cava into the right
atrium.
• Cells of SA node are modified cardiac muscle cells smaller than
atrial muscle cells.
• Those nodal cells are arranged around a large nodal artery.
• The impulse will be carried from SA node to AV node through
tracts of specialized cells .
• 2- Atrioventricular node : (AV node)
• A mass of specialized cardiac muscle cells lies in the septal wall
of the right atrium .
• The cells of AV node is similar to those of the SA node .
 3- Bundle of His (AV bundle) :

• The small fibers that emerge from AV node will be regularly

arranged together and become a distinct bundle of parallel fibers
that will conduct the impulse from a AV node to the ventricle .
• This bundle divided into right and left branch and those fibers
are called purkinje fibers, which will make contact with the
cardiac muscle to stimulate their contraction.
• Because the fibers in the SA node depolarize and repolarize
faster than those in the AV node, the SA node sets the pace for
the heart beat.
• Thus, the Sinoatrial node functions as the "pacemaker” of the
heart.
 Valves of the Heart
• Valves consist of a central core of dense connective
tissue lined on both sides with endothelial cells & the
bases of the heart valves attached to the fibrous
skeleton of the heart .
• 4 Cardiac Valves :
- 2 AV (mitral and tricuspid) in the chambers
- 2 Semilunar (aortic /pulmonary) are thinner but
had the same histologic structure as the AV valves .
• Each valve is composed of Three layers :
1- Fibrosa forms the core of the valve and contains
fibrous extensions from the dense irregular connective
tissue of the skeletal rings of the heart.
2- Spongiosa is a loose connective tissue located
on the Atrial or blood vessel side of each valve .
The spongiosa acts as a shock absorber to reduce
vibrations associated with the closing of the valve.
3- Ventricularis is immediately adjacent to the
ventricular or atrial surface of each valve and is covered
with endothelium.
It contains dense connective tissue with many layers
of elastic fibers.
The Valve
Chordae Tendineae or ( tendinous cords),
• Are tendon resembling fibrous cords of connective
tissue , covered with endothelium
• They connect the papillary muscles to the tricuspid
valve and the mitral valve in the heart.
• The chordae tendineae prevent the prolapse of AV
valves by becoming tense, which pulls on the flaps,
holding them in closed position.
• Chordae Tendineae play a vital role in holding the AV
valves in place while the heart is pumping blood.
Chordae tendineae
 Papillary Muscles

• Are located in the ventricles of the heart.

• They attached to the cusps of the AV valves
(mitral & tricuspid valves ) via the chordae
tendineae and contract to prevent the prolapse of
these valves on ventricular contraction .
Papillary muscles