CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

Definition
The circulatory system, also known as the cardiovascular system, consists of the
organs and fluids that transport materials like oxygen and nutrients throughout
the body. All vertebrates have a closed circulatory system in which the blood
plasma and cells remain within blood vessels. This is opposed to an open
circulatory system in which the blood surrounds organs and tissues in an open
chamber.

The circulatory system spans the entire body. As it moves blood around the
system, it is both bringing oxygen to the tissues and carrying away the
waste products they create. The circulatory system also has many functions
related to delivering hormones, allowing the passage of immune cells, and other
functions related to coordinating and maintaining a multicellular organism. Let’s
take a closer look at some of these functions.

Circulatory System Function

Animal evolution has resulted in an increasing degree of specialization within
tissues and organs. For instance, simple multicellular organisms like sponges
have structures where every cell interacts directly with the environment. Each
cell exchanges molecules with the environment, obtains nutrients from the
environment, and expels its waste products directly into the outside
environment. In larger and more complex animals, this is difficult since there are
many cells present deep inside the organism that interact minimally with the
external environment.
Therefore, each of the basic functions of an organism has to be accomplished by
a specialized set of organs. For example, the digestive system is specialized for
efficiently extracting useful nutrients from food. Similarly, the respiratory system
deals with the exchange of gases, while the nervous and endocrine systems are
involved in coordination and homeostasis. In order to sustain each of these
organ systems, the body needs a circulatory system. The circulatory
system allows every cell to derive sustenance, be protected from pathogens,
communicate with other cells, and to exist in a relatively constant
microenvironment.

Example of Circulatory System Function

The underlying function of the circulatory system is transportation. This basic

function carries many different substances to and from different parts of the
body.

The intricate network of blood vessels that surrounds the small intestine absorbs
the end products of digestion. The pituitary gland situated deep within the brain
releases hormones that influence the musculoskeletal, integumentary, and
reproductive systems. These hormones are carried to their target organs
and cells through the circulatory system. Within alveoli in the lungs, oxygen
from the air diffuses into capillaries where it binds to the protein hemoglobin
(found in red blood cells). Through this carrier protein, blood delivers oxygen to
every cell within the body.

Blood also plays an important role in maintaining the pH of the body. This is
particularly important since pH influences the efficiency and effectiveness of
every biomolecule. Temperature regulation is also carried out by the
circulatory system. When the body temperature rises, there is vasodilation in
the skin, leading to heat loss. In cold temperatures, blood vessels supplying
blood to the limbs constrict. This constriction preserves body heat for critical
internal organs. Finally, blood and lymph contain antibodies and immune cells.
This includes the cells of innate immunity present from birth as well as the
adaptive immunity acquired through exposure to pathogens.

irculatory System Parts

The circulatory system consists of the heart, blood, blood vessels, lymph, and
lymphatic vessels. While the heart is the largest “organ” of the circulatory
system, it is really only a large blood vessel surrounded by muscles. The arteries
and veins themselves are sometimes considered together as an interconnected
organ that spans through the body.

Heart

In humans, the heart has four chambers consisting of two atria and two

ventricles. The atria are the receiving chambers and receive blood from
veins. On the other hand, ventricles are designed to be efficient pumps,
sending blood into arteries.

Oxygenated blood from the lungs arrives through the pulmonary vein to the left
atrium. It passes into the left ventricle through the mitral valve during atrial
systole or contraction. During ventricular systole, this blood is pumped into the
aorta to be circulated in the body through arteries, arterioles, and capillaries.
The exchange of materials occurs through the single-celled endothelial

walls of capillaries. Deoxygenated blood from various tissues then

returns to the right atrium of the heart through two major veins – the

superior and inferior vena cava. Once deoxygenated blood reaches the

right ventricle through the tricuspid valve, it is pumped to the lungs

during ventricular systole through the pulmonary artery. In the lungs,

gas exchange occurs within the alveoli. irculatory System

Parts
The circulatory system consists of the heart, blood, blood vessels, lymph, and
lymphatic vessels. While the heart is the largest “organ” of the circulatory
system, it is really only a large blood vessel surrounded by muscles. The arteries
and veins themselves are sometimes considered together as an interconnected
organ that spans through the body.

Heart

In humans, the heart has four chambers consisting of two atria and two

ventricles. The atria are the receiving chambers and receive blood from
veins. On the other hand, ventricles are designed to be efficient pumps,
sending blood into arteries.

Oxygenated blood from the lungs arrives through the pulmonary vein to the left
atrium. It passes into the left ventricle through the mitral valve during atrial
systole or contraction. During ventricular systole, this blood is pumped into the
aorta to be circulated in the body through arteries, arterioles, and capillaries.
The exchange of materials occurs through the single-celled endothelial walls of
capillaries. Deoxygenated blood from various tissues then returns to the right
atrium of the heart through two major veins – the superior and inferior vena
cava. Once deoxygenated blood reaches the right ventricle through the tricuspid
valve, it is pumped to the lungs during ventricular systole through the pulmonary
artery. In the lungs, gas exchange occurs within the alveoli.

Blood Vessels

There are two major types of blood vessels – those that bring blood towards
the heart are called veins and those that carry blood from the heart towards
other tissues and organs are called arteries. Arteries and veins undergo
repeated branching to produce arterioles and venules. The thinnest blood vessels
are capillaries, made of a single layer of squamous epithelial cells. These thin
tubular structures are the primary site for the exchange of materials between the
circulatory system and tissues.