The Circulatory System

Rucete ✏ Biology In a Nutshell

1. Types of Circulatory Systems

a) Open Circulatory System

  • Found in insects and most mollusks
  • Circulatory fluid: hemolymph
  • Hemolymph flows through a hemocoel (open cavity between organs)

b) Closed Circulatory System

  • Found in annelids, some mollusks (like octopuses and squids), and vertebrates
  • Circulatory fluid: blood, which stays within vessels

2. Blood Vessels in Vertebrates

  • Arteries: carry oxygenated blood away from the heart
  • Veins: carry deoxygenated blood back toward the heart

3. Blood Flow Through the Human Heart

  1. Deoxygenated blood enters through the superior and inferior vena cava
  2. Right atrium
  3. Right AV valve (tricuspid)
  4. Right ventricle
  5. Pulmonary semilunar valve
  6. Pulmonary artery to the lungs
  7. Oxygenated blood returns via pulmonary veins
  8. Left atrium
  9. Left AV valve (bicuspid/mitral)
  10. Left ventricle
  11. Aortic semilunar valve
  12. Aorta → to the body

4. Circuits of Blood Flow

  • Pulmonary Circuit: carries deoxygenated blood to lungs, returns oxygenated blood to heart
  • Systemic Circuit: carries oxygenated blood to body, returns deoxygenated blood to heart

5. Heart Conduction System

  • SA Node (sinoatrial node): pacemaker; initiates heartbeat
  • AV Node (atrioventricular node): relays signal to ventricles
  • Bundle of His & Purkinje fibers: spread the signal through ventricles

6. Components of Blood

  • Red Blood Cells (Erythrocytes): transport O₂ and hemoglobin, catalyze CO₂ conversion, no nucleus, made in bone marrow, recycled in liver
  • White Blood Cells (Leukocytes): fight infection, made in bone marrow
  • Platelets: involved in clotting using fibrinogen
  • Plasma: liquid part; contains clotting factors, hormones, antibodies, gases, and waste

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