Ch4-Circulatory system

The circulatory system consists of:

 a system of tubes (arteries, capillaries and veins)

 a pump (the heart)
 valves to ensure a one-way flow of blood

Arteries and veins

Arteries carry blood away from the heart towards an organ, while veins carry blood

from an organ towards the heart.

This table lists the arteries and veins that are associated with the lungs, liver and
kidneys.

Organ Towards organ Away from organ

Lung Pulmonary artery Pulmonary vein

Liver Hepatic artery Hepatic vein

Kidney Renal artery Renal vein

Double circulation

The human circulatory system is a double circulatory system. It has two separate
circuits and blood passes through the heart twice:

 the pulmonary circuit is between the heart and lungs

 the systemic circuit is between the heart and the other organs

Pulmonary circulation takes place between the heart and the lungs
Systemic circulation takes place between the heart and other organs
 Pulmonary circuit

The pulmonary circuit transports blood to the lungs. The blood is oxygenated there and
then carried back to the heart. Gaseous exchange happens in the lungs:

 carbon dioxide diffuses from the blood into the air in the alveoli

 oxygen diffuses from the air in the alveoli into the blood, and is absorbed
by haemoglobin in the red blood cells
Unlike other arteries and veins, the pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood and
the pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood.

Systemic circuit

The systemic circuit transports blood around the body. It transports oxygen and
nutrients to the body tissues, and carries away deoxygenated blood containing carbon
dioxide and other waste materials.

Blood vessels

Arteries

 Carry blood away from the heart (always oxygenated apart from the pulmonary
artery which goes from the heart to the lungs).
 Have thick muscular walls.
 Have small passageways for blood (internal lumen).
 Contain blood under high pressure.
The arteries carry blood away from the heart

Veins

 Carry blood to the heart (always deoxygenated apart from the pulmonary vein which
goes from the lungs to the heart).
 Have thin walls.
 Have larger passageways for blood (internal lumen).
 Contain blood under low pressure.
 Have valves to prevent blood flowing backwards.

Capillaries

 Found in the muscles and lungs.

 Microscopic – one cell thick.
 Very low blood pressure.
 Where gas exchange takes place - oxygen passes through the capillary wall and into
the tissues, while carbon dioxide passes from the tissues into the blood.

Capillaries are narrow with thin walls

Blood travelling through the capillaries

The heart

The heart is a muscular organ. Its function is to pump blood. The right-side pumps blood
through the pulmonary circuit, while the left side pumps blood through the systemic
circuit.

A septum separates the right and left sides. The left side has thicker walls because it
needs to put the blood under higher pressure than the right side.

The main parts of the heart, seen in cross-section from the front
 Valves

In general, blood flows into the heart from a vein, goes into an atrium, then a ventricle,
and out through an artery.

The heart contains valves to prevent the blood flowing backwards:

 the right side has a tricuspid valve (a valve with three flaps)
 the left side has a bicuspid valve (a valve with two flaps)
Both sides have semi-lunar valves (at the entrances to the pulmonary artery and
aorta).

Functions of the heart

The heart pumps blood in two ways

Effect of exercise and adrenaline

During exercise, the muscle cells need more energy than usual. They therefore need
to respire more and, as a consequence, need more oxygen and glucose, and they
produce more waste carbon dioxide.

To meet this demand, the heart:

 contracts more often – the heart rate increases

 contracts more powerfully – the stroke volume increases, pumping a greater volume
of blood with each beat
The changes in heart rate are easily observed by measuring the pulse rate (for example,
at the wrist or side of the neck).

The hormone adrenaline is secreted when we are afraid, stressed or angry. It also

causes the heart rate and stroke volume to increase, preparing us for ‘fight or flight’.

Coronary heart disease

The coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle. These may become blocked by a
build-up of fatty plaques containing cholesterol, resulting in coronary heart disease.

If a coronary artery is blocked, the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is cut off.
That part of the heart cannot continue to contract, causing a heart attack.

Cross-section showing how plaque causes abnormal blood flow in affected arteries
 Possible causes of coronary heart disease

These include:

 poor diet – eating more saturated fat tends to increase cholesterol levels

 stress and smoking – increase blood pressure