GENERAL ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS

OF CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
Evolutionary history of Cardiovascular
system
A few important points to ponder upon…

Open circulation - Primitive organisms have an open

circulatory system with blood and lymph mixing together
forming the hemolymph which circulates in specialized
channels towards the periphery and then flows freely into
the interstitial space bathing the tissues and organs 
directed by a network of sinuses and venous connectors
back into a central vein.

Disadvantage  requires a large volume of circulating fluid

(almost 50% of body wt. and the circulation time almost
6mints for few centimeter long animal?).
Closed circulation  evolved in some high end species

All the vertebrates-fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and

mammals.

Advantages-

High pressure carries blood rapidly over long distances

inside elastic tubes-arteries, capillaries and veins.

Can reliably track the variations in demand of the

organism.
Separation of blood from lymph and continuous
movement in a closed vascular system lined by specialized
cells(endothelium).

Lower blood volume Vs open system(6-8% body wt.)

Faster transit time (<1 mint of circulation time in

humans).
1. Interstitial fluid exists around all cells

2. All exchange (nutrients, gases, waste products and

hormones)

3. Takes place between this fluid and cells

4. We need to maintain the composition of this fluid

within a normal range
 CONSTANCY OF INTERSTITIAL FLUID

CONSTANCY OF INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT

Who proposed this first..?!

Also known as ..?!

Who coined the word…??!

A separate compartment came into existence

PLASMA

As it passes through the different organs it is modified,

• Nutrients are added- GIT, LIVER

• Gases are exchanged- LUNGS
• Waste removed- KIDNEYS
• Hormones/Messengers are added- GLANDS

All these is done in PLASMA which circulates around all

organs and provides the needed substrates
Efficient transfer of substances between the cells and the
plasma.

Accomplished by dense networks of capillaries

• Little resistance to the transfer of substances across

their walls

• Provide for short diffusion distances between the

capillaries and the sites at which products will be
utilized.
PUMPING ORGAN ~ HEART

It drives blood around two circuits in series, one that

perfuses the lungs and one that serves the remainder of
the body.
Minute to minute regulation of blood flow is very
important to ensure that each organ

• receives the right amount of nutrients

• Appropriate removal of waste

at the right time…….!!!

 During exercise…
demand for additional oxygen and glucose in the
contracting muscles.

 In the brain…..
no capacity to store glucose and blood flow must be
maintained to ensure consciousness, even in the face of
hydrostatic challenges (e.g, moving from a recumbent to a
standing position).
Rate of circulation of plasma around the body must be
adjusted at all the times and flow may need to be
redirected from less active to more active regions.

Increased flow of blood to exercising muscles and decrease

in GIT.

Further, apart from providing the appropriate flow to each

organ at all times, acute changes in the interstitial fluid that
occurs like osmolarity, pH etc. need to be corrected.
Functions of Cardiovascular system

Primary functions of the cardiovascular system are:

1. Distribution of nutrients and oxygen (O2) to all body
cells and
2. Collection of waste products and CO2 from different
body cells and to carry them to excretory organs for
excretion.
Secondary functions that are subserved by the
cardiovascular system are:
1. Thermoregulation,
2. Distribution of hormones to the target tissues and
3. Delivery of antibodies, platelets and leucocytes to aid
body defence mechanism.
STRUCTURE OF HEART
FUNCTIONAL ANATOMY OF HEART

Weighs approximately 300 g

Chambers of heart : inflow chamber called the atrium and

an outflow chamber called the ventricle.

Valves of heart : four valves in a human heart, two

atrioventricular valves and two semilunar valves. Valves
allow unidirectional flow of blood.

Inner free edge

Outer attached edge attached to Atrioventricular ring
fibrous connection between Atria and Ventricles.
The free edges of the cusps are attached to the papillary
muscles through the cord-like structures called the chordae
tendineae.
Papillary muscles arise from the inner surface of ventricles
and contract when the ventricular walls contract. They do
not help the valves to close but prevent the bulging of the
valves into the atria when ventricles contract.
 Structure of the walls of heart

Walls of the heart are composed of

External layer ~ Epicardium

thick Middle layer of cardiac muscle ~ Myocardium
Internal lining ~ Endocardium.

Atrial walls ~ thin.

Ventricular walls ~ thick.
Skeleton of the heart consists of fibrous rings that
surround the atrioventricular, pulmonary and aortic orifices
and are continuous with the membranous part of the
ventricular septum.
Role....

 Separate the muscular walls of the atria from those of

the ventricles. ( Mechanical barrier except valve orifices )

 Provide attachment for the muscle fibres of atria and

ventricles.

Support the bases of the valve cusps and prevent the

valves from stretching and becoming incompetent.

 Prevents electrical communication between atria and

ventricles ( Electrical barrier except..??!! )
Fibroserous sac called pericardium encloses the heart
and great vessels.

Functions:
1. Restricts excessive movements of heart as a whole

2. Lubricates the contractile movements of different

chambers of heart.

Fibrous pericardium

is attached to the surrounding structures.

 Serous pericardium

Parietal Visceral layers

Parietal layer of serous closely cover the heart

pericardium lines the and is often called the
fibrous pericardium epicardium.

reflected around the roots of the

great vessels to become continuous
with each other

Pericardial cavity between the two (5-30 ml) provides

lubrication.
Myocardium ~ syncytial nature
Peculiar characteristics ~ individual muscle fibres
connected by intercalated discs present both across and
vertically.

There are many individual cells connected in series and in

parallel with one another.

Intercalated discs made up of gap junctions ~ low

resistance bridges ~ allows electrical communication.
Gap junction ~ made of connexin proteins forming a tunnel
through the cell membranes of the cardiac muscle cells,
allowing small molecules, including ions, to pass through.

Ions move easily in the intracellular fluid along the

longitudinal axes of the cardiac muscle fibers, so that
action potentials travel easily from one cardiac muscle cell
to the next, past the intercalated discs.

‘Myocardium works as a functional syncytium.’

Excitation from any one cell/fibre can spread easily

throughout the whole myocardium….!!! A
In the heart, the cardiac muscle forms two separate
syncytia, i.e.

the atrial syncytium (walls of two atria)

the ventricular syncytium (walls of the two ventricles).

Action potential is conducted from the atrial syncytium to

the ventricular syncytium by way of specialized conducting
system.
Each syncytium obeys all or none law.

Because the atrial and the ventricular syncytium are two

separate syncytia, therefore, atria contract a short time
ahead of the ventricular contraction.
Endocardium

Endocardium made up of single lining of endothelial cells

and is continuous with endothelium of great vessels.
STRUCTURE OF CARDIAC MUSCLE FIBRE
Cardiac muscle fibre

Characteristics

Length : 80-100 m
Width : 15 m
Cellular structure : !!

Myofibrils ~ 2 m diameter lying parallel

Ultrastructure similar to skeletal muscle

1 capillary per fiber- rich capillary supply to myocardium

Sarcotubular structure : …!!! Difference wrt Skeletal muscle
fibre

Capillary microcirculation
Advantages of triad in skeletal muscle Vs dyad in cardiac
muscle

More rapid single contraction and relaxation because

of faster release and uptake of calcium.

 Skeletal muscle can be tetanized but cardiac muscle

cannot be tetanized.
PROPERTIES OF CARDIAC MUSCLE FIBRE
Automaticity

Inotropism-Contractility

Chronotropism-Rythmicity

Dromotropism-Conductivity

Bathmotropism-Excitability
Excitability : Excitability (bathmotropism) is the property
by which tissues respond to stimuli. The cardiac muscle
responds by the development of action potential.

Inotropism-Contractility : Contractility is the ability of the

cardiac muscle to actively generate force to shorten and
thicken to do work when sufficient stimulus is applied.

Autorythmicity : Ability of the cardiac muscle to generate

its own impulse and spontaneously beat regularly beat
after beat.

Conductivity : Ability to conduct impulse across the

myocardial syncytium from one region to the other.
CORONARY CIRCULATION