Biology 2201 Unit 3 – Maintaining Dynamic Equilibrium I

Notes Human Circulatory System

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The Human Circulatory System

The circulatory system is the system that transports materials around the body to and
from the cells.

Question? Why do humans need a circulatory system whereas bacteria and simple
organisms do not?

Answer: Because the cells of a complex organism such as a human have many
cells that are far from the outside environment where nutrients would
come from. The system brings the materials to the cells that would not
normally receive them.

Humans have a closed circulatory system: This means that the blood is always
contained in tubes and vessels.

The human circulatory system is composed of the following:

1. Blood Vessels
2. Heart
3. Blood

BLOOD VESSELS
Humans have three types of blood vessels. They are:

a. Arteries
Structure:
o Thick, elastic
o Contain layers of connective, and smooth muscle tissues
o DO NOT CONTAIN VALVES

Function: Carry Blood AWAY from the heart.

Arteries divide to form very small arteries called arterioles.

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b. Veins
Structure:
o Thin and slightly elastic.
o Contain VALVES for one way flow of blood.

Function: return blood TO the heart

Veins divide to become venules.

Medical Alert: Varicose Veins

This is a condition where the valves in the veins of a person

are not working properly and blood seeps back into the vein
causing the vein to become stretched and lose their elasticity.

Result: Sagging veins and lack of blood flow to the heart.

c. Capillaries

Structure:
o Microscopic blood vessels that connect arterioles and
venules.
o Thin walled and narrow
o Blood cells pass through them in single file

Function: Allows material and gas exchange between the body cells and the
blood.

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THE HEART
Structure:
o A four chambered muscular organ located in the chest cavity of a
human.
o Made of Cardiac muscle.
o It is Covered by a Pericardium that protects it.

o Pericardium: A tough membrane that surrounds the heart.

Aorta
Pulmonary Artery

Superior Vena Cava

Pulmonary Vein

Semilunar Valve
Left Atrium

Right Atrium
Bicuspid Valve

Tricuspid Valve

Septum
Chordae Tendonae

Left Ventricle

Right Ventricle

Inferior Vena Cava

Function: Pump blood around the body supplying the cells with nutrients and
removing wastes (CO2) from the cells.
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Functions of Heart Structures

1. Inferior/Superior Vena Cava: Returns deoxygenated blood to the right atrium
from the body.

2. Right Atrium: Thin walled chamber of the heart that receives

deoxygenated blood from the body.

3. Tricuspid valve: Controls the flow of blood entering the right ventricle from
the right atrium.

4. Right Ventricle: Muscular chamber that pumps blood TO the lungs.

5. Semilunar Valves: Valves that control the flow of blood out of the heart.

6. Pulmonary Arteries: Arteries that carry blood TO the lungs.

7. Pulmonary Veins: Veins that bring blood to the heart from the lungs.

8. Left Atrium: Thin walled chamber that receives oxygenated blood from
the lungs.

9. Left Ventricle: Thick walled chamber that pumps blood out of the heart and
to the body.

10. Aorta: Large artery that carries blood away from the heart and to all
parts of the body.

11. Septum: A wall of muscle that separates the left side of the heart from
the right side. This prevents the mixing of oxygenated and
deoxygenated blood.

12. Chordae Tendonae: Control the opening and closing of the Tricuspid and
Bicuspid (Mitral) valves.

13. Bicuspid Valve: A valve that controls the flow of blood from the left atrium to
the left ventricle.

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Blood Flow through the Heart

Deoxygenated blood from the body enters the right Atrium via the Inferior and
Superior Vena Cava (e). Here the blood is passed through the tricuspid valve to the
right ventricle. The right ventricle contracts and forces blood up through the Semilunar
valves and out through the left and right pulmonary arteries. This brings blood to the
lungs to be oxygenated.

Oxygenated blood from the lungs returns to the heart via the left and right pulmonary
veins to the left atrium. The blood is passed to the left ventricle through the bicuspid
valve. The left ventricle contracts and pushes blood through the Semilunar valves and
out through the aorta to the body.

THE HEARTBEAT CYCLE

The human heartbeat occurs in two main stages.

These two stages are: a. Diastole

b. Systole

Diastole The stage where the heart is Relaxing

During this stage the A-V valves (bicuspid, tricuspid) are open and the semilunar
valves close. The ventricles fill with blood.

Systole The stage where the heart is Contracting

During this stage the ventricles contract. This causes the A-V valves to close and the
semilunar valves to open. Blood is forced out through the semilunar valves to the lungs
and body.

The “LubDub” sound of the Heartbeat

The “LubDub” sound of the heartbeat is caused by the closing of the heart’s valves.

Lub Sound -- caused by the closing of the A-V valves (tricuspid, bicuspid).

Dub Sound -- caused by the closing of the semilunar valves.

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CONTROL OF THE HEARTBEAT

The heart is caused to beat regularly by a structure called the Sinoatrial Node (S - A
node) or the PACEMAKER.

How it happens

An electrical impulse from the brain is received by the S-A node(pacemaker) in the right
atrium. The SA node sends a signal to the A-V node (atrioventricular node) in the
right ventricle. This electrical impulse causes the heart (ventricles) to contract.

The pacemaker controls the heartbeat for a human from the time they are born until
they die or the pacemaker gives out.

Q. What happens if the pacemaker gives out?

A. The person’s heart will stop beating because the ventricles are not receiving
electrical impulses causing them to contract.

A person whose pacemaker gives out can get an artificial one inserted into their chest.

CONTROL OF THE HEART RATE

The heart rate (speed) at which the heart beats is controlled by two nerves.

Medulla Oblongata (Sometimes called the Cardioaccelerator nerve):

Nerve in the brain that causes the heart to speed up when needed.

Vagus nerve: Nerve in the brain that causes the heart to slow down when
needed.

The medulla sends a message to the SA node to cause an impulse to be sent to the AV
node causing the heart to contract more or less in an attempt to set the heart rate.

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BLOOD PRESSURE
Blood Pressure: A measure of the pressure blood exerts on the walls of blood
vessels.

Q. How is blood pressure measured?

A. Blood pressure is measured using a blood pressure cuff or

Sphygmomanometer.

It measures the pressure in an artery while the heart is contracting (systolic

pressure) and the pressure while the heart is resting (diastolic pressure). A
simple fraction is calculated using the following formula:

Blood Pressure = Systolic Pressure

Diastolic Pressure

For example: A person with a pressure 120/80 means that the person has a
pressure of 120 while the heart is contracting and 80 when the heart is relaxing.

P.S. Normal blood pressure is different for each person but is usually around 120/80.

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DIVISIONS OF CIRCULATION
There are two types of circulation that happen in the human organism.

1. Pulmonary Circulation
2. Systemic circulation

1. PULMONARY CIRCULATION

This is circulation of blood from the heart and to the lungs and vice versa.

This type of circulation adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from the
blood.

2. SYSTEMIC CIRCULATION

This is circulation of blood between the heart and the body.

This type of circulation brings blood to the cells and from the cells.
Systemic circulation has three subdivisions. They are:

A. Coronary Circulation
B. Hepatic-portal circulation
C. Renal circulation

A. Coronary circulation is circulation that supplies blood and nutrients directly

to the heart muscle.

B. Hepatic - portal circulation is circulation that carries nutrients and blood

from the digestive system to the liver to maintain glucose levels in the
body.

C. Renal Circulation is circulation that carries blood to and from the kidneys
so that nitrogenous wastes may be removed from the blood and
excreted by the kidneys.

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THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM

This is the part of the circulatory system that returns excess fluids to the blood from the
body.

Parts of the Lymphatic System

1. Lymph
2. Lymph Nodes
3. Intercellular Fluid
4. Spleen

1. Lymph

This is the fluid that is found within the lymphatic system. It contains water,
proteins and intercellular fluid.

2. Lymph Nodes

These are small glands at various locations in the body that filter foreign matter
from the lymph. Foreign matter usually means bacteria, cancer cells and other
disease causing organisms.

The Lymph nodes also contain White Blood Cells that fight off infection.

If you have swollen lymph nodes then this is an indication that you may
have an infection.

3. Intercellular Fluid

This is the fluid that is usually squeezed out of a capillary during normal cell
activities. It helps move materials between the cells and the capillaries.

It usually contains salt, water, proteins and nutrients.

4. Spleen

An organ near the stomach that contains lymph tissue.

Function: Filter out bacteria and worn out RBC’s from the blood.
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BLOOD
BLOOD: Fluid found in the circulatory system of humans that carries nutrients and
Oxygen to the cells and carries wastes ( carbon dioxide) away from the
cells.

Helps to control and regulate body temperature as well.

COMPONENTS OF BLOOD

There are three components to blood:

A. Plasma
B. Blood Cells
C. Platelets

A. Plasma
• The liquid part of blood.
• Makes up 55% of the volume of blood.
92% water and 7% proteins, 1 % dissolved solutes.

Plasma has three proteins in it.

i) Albumins — Keeps water from leaving the blood.

ii) Fibrinogen — Used for blood clotting.

iii) Globulins — Transport proteins around the body. Some are antibodies.

Antibody: Proteins that binds to and helps destroy a foreign substance

in the body.

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B. Blood Cells
Two types:

o Red Blood Cells (RBC’s)

o White Blood Cells (WBC’s)

i) Red Blood Cells --- called Erythrocytes

± Human blood contains about 30 trillion RBC’s.

± DO NOT contain Nuclei (NONNUCLEATED)
± Created by the bone marrow - stem cells.
± live about 120 days
± double concave shaped
± Contain a protein called hemoglobin.
± Worn out RBC’s are removed by the liver and spleen.

Hemoglobin:
A protein found in the blood that is made up of IRON. It carries oxygen to the cells and
removes CO2

Composed of an Alpha and Beta Chain with 2 Heme (Iron) groups on each chain. The
Heme groups bind to and attach Oxygen and CO2

Function of RBC’s: Transport oxygen to cells from the lungs.

Transport carbon dioxide from the cells to the lungs.

ii) White Blood Cells – called Leukocytes

± Larger than RBC’s

± have a nucleus
± less numerous than RBC’s
± Can move on their own

FUNCTION OF WBC’S: Fight foreign invaders and Infections.

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Types of White Blood Cells

a) Macrophages

Phagocytic cells that protect the body by engulfing and

digesting foreign invaders (pathogens).

b) Lymphocytes
Non – phagocytic blood cells that produce antibodies.

Two types: T Cells and B Cells

C. Platelets
± Small pieces of cells found in the blood.
± NO Nuclei
± Live about 7 days.

FUNCTION OF PLATELETS: Blood Clotting Process.

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THE BLOOD CLOTTING PROCESS

Blood Clotting is actually a complicated chemical process. This is how it works.

When a blood vessel is ruptured the following happens:

Step 1:

Platelets rush to the area. They release an enzyme called Thromboplastin.

Step 2:

Thromboplastin causes prothrombin (a protein) to be converted in thrombin

(enzyme).

Thromboplastin
Prothrombin ---------------------------------------------> Thrombin

Step 3:

Thrombin causes fibrinogen (found in blood plasma) to be changed into fibrin.

Thrombin
Fibrinogen ---------------------------------------------------> Fibrin

Step 4:

Fibrin forms a net of fibres over the cut and traps red blood cells and platelets
and forms a blood clot.

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Circulatory System Disorders

1. Hypertension High Blood Pressure

Causes: diet, stress, inactivity

Effects on body: Leads to heart disease and possible failure

2. Arteriosclerosis Hardening of the Arteries

Causes: Diet – High in Cholesterol (LDL) and Fats.

Effect on body: Causes arteries to become inelastic which can reduce the
amount of blood flow in them. This can lead to a heart attack
and/or stroke.

3. Atherosclerosis Narrowing of Arteries

Causes: Fatty deposits within the artery walls from poor diet/fat intake
etc.

Effect on body: Narrowing of arteries reduces blood flow to heart and brain
which may lead to heart attack and/or stroke.

4. Stroke: Loss of blood flow to brain tissue causing cell death.

Causes: Any one of the above and others

Effect on Body: loss of brain function and/or motor control (paralysis), death.

5. Coronary Blockage A blockage in the coronary arteries of the heart.

Causes: Diet, lack of exercise

Effect on Body: Heart attack, death.

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Treatments for Circulatory System Disorders

1. Thrombolytics

Thrombolytics are a class of drugs known as “Clot busting” drugs.

These drugs help to bust up blood clots that have formed. They help to clear
blocked passageways etc.

Ex: Streptokinase or t - PA: A Clot busting drug that converts plasminogen to

plasmin. Plasmin dissolves the clot.

2. Angioplasty

Procedure in which a small catheter (tube) with a balloon attached is inserted into
an artery and then inflated. The inflation helps to stretch the artery in an attempt
to increase blood flow to the heart.
Sometimes a Stent (small mesh netting) is put in place to keep the artery open
after the balloon is removed

3. Coronary Bypass Surgery

Surgery in which a healthy blood vessel from another area in the body is used to
create a new pathway around a blockage in a blood vessel near the heart,
usually a coronary artery.

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