CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

BLOOD VESSEL FUNCTIONS

1. Carry blood
2. Exchange nutrients, waste products, gases within
tissues
3. Transport substances
4. Regulate blood pressure
5. Direct blood flow to tissues
 The
Circulatory
System
 Vessel Structures

Arteries:
• carry blood away from heart
• thick with a lot of elastic tissue
Veins:
• carry blood toward heart
• thick with less elastic tissue
Capillaries:
• exchange occurs between blood and tissue fluids
Blood Vessel
Walls
Tunica intima:
• innermost layer

Tunica media:
• middle layer

Tunica adventitia:
• outermost layer
Types of Arteries
• Elastic arteries:
• largest in diameter
• thickest walls
• Example - aorta and pulmonary trunk

• Muscular arteries:
• medium to small size
• thick in diameter
• contain smooth muscle cells
• can control blood flow to body regions
Capillaries
• Blood flows from arterioles into capillaries
• Capillaries branch to form networks
• Blood flow is regulated by smooth muscle cells, precapillary
sphincters
Capillary Structure
 Pulmonary Circulation Vessels

Pulmonary circulation:

• blood vessels that carry blood from right ventricle to lungs and back from left
atrium of heart

Pulmonary trunk:

• Carries blood from right ventricle towards lung

Pulmonary veins:

• exit lungs and carry O2 rich blood to left atrium

Major Arteries
 Systemic Circulation Vessels

• The systemic circulation

carries blood from the left
ventricle to the tissues of
the body and back to the
right atrium.

• Oxygenated blood from

the pulmonary veins
passes from the left
atrium into the left
ventricle and from the left
ventricle into the aorta.

• Arteries distribute blood

from the aorta to all
portions of the body
Parts of the Aorta
• Ascending:
• passes superiorly from left ventricle
• Aortic arch:
• Contains 3 major arteries which carry blood from
aorta to head and upper limbs
• Descending:
• extends through thorax and abdomen to pelvis
 Parts of the Aorta

Thoracic:
• part of descending aorta that
extends through thorax to
diaphragm
Abdominal:
• descending aorta that extends
from diaphragm where it divides at
the common iliac arteries
Arteries of the Head
and Neck
• Branches of aortic arch:
• brachiocephalic artery
• left common carotid artery
• left subclavian
• Brachiocephalic artery:
• first branch off aortic arch
• supplies blood to right side of head
and neck
Arteries of the Head
and Neck
Left common carotid artery:
• 2nd branch off aortic arch
• supplies blood to the left side of
head and neck
Left subclavian artery:
• 3rd branch off aortic arch
• supplies blood to left upper limbs
 Arteries of the Upper
Limbs
Axillary arteries:
• continuation of subclavian in the axilla (armpits)
Brachial arteries:
• continuation of axillary artery that extends into the arm
• where blood pressure measurements are taken
Ulnar arteries:
• branch of brachial artery
• near elbow
Radial arteries:
• branch of brachial artery
• supply blood to forearm and hand
• pulse taken here
 Abdominal Aorta Branches

Celiac trunk arteries:

• supply blood to stomach, pancreas, spleen, liver, upper duodenum
Superior mesenteric arteries:
• supply blood to small intestines and upper portion of colon
Inferior mesenteric arteries:
• supply blood to colon
 Abdominal Aorta Branches

Renal arteries:
• supply blood to kidneys
Hepatic arteries:
• supply blood to liver
Testicular arteries:
• supply blood to testes
Ovarian arteries:
• supply blood to ovaries
 Abdominal Aorta Branches

Inferior phrenic arteries:

• supply blood to diaphragm
Lumbar arteries:
• supply blood to lumbar vertebra and back muscles
Arteries of Pelvis
• Common iliac arteries:
• branches from abdominal aorta
• divides into external and internal
iliac arteries
• External iliac arteries:
• division of common iliac artery
• supply blood to lower limbs
• Internal iliac arteries:
• division of common iliac
• supply blood to pelvic area
Arteries of the Lower
Limbs
Femoral arteries:
• supply blood to thigh
Popliteal arteries:
• supply blood to knee
Anterior and posterior arteries:
• supply blood to leg and foot
Fibular arteries:
• supply blood to lateral leg and foot
 Veins

• Veins return blood to the heart.

• In the systemic circulation, the blood returning to the heart is
deoxygenated.
• In the pulmonary circulation, the blood returning to the heart
in the pulmonary veins is oxygenated.
 Veins
• Superior vena cava:
• returns blood from head, neck,
thorax, and right upper limbs
• empties into right atrium of heart
• Inferior vena cava:
• returns blood from abdomen,
pelvis, lower limbs
• empties into right atrium of heart
 Veins of the Head and Neck
External jugular vein:
• drain blood from head and neck
• empties into subclavian veins
Internal jugular vein:
• drain blood from brain, face, neck
• empty into subclavian veins
Subclavian veins:
• forms brachiocephalic veins
Brachiocephalic veins:
• join to form superior vena cava
 Veins of the Upper
Limbs

Brachial veins:
• empty into axillary vein
Cephalic veins:
• empty into axillary vein and
basilic vein
Median cubital veins:
• connects to cephalic vein
• near elbow
 Veins of the Lower
Limbs
Femoral veins:
• drain blood from thigh and empty
into external iliac vein
Great saphenous veins:
• drain from foot and empty into
femoral vein
Popliteal veins:
• drain blood from knee and empty into
femoral vein
Thank you!