BIO 156

Chapter 6
The Circulatory System
• The circulatory system consists of a
pump, the heart, and a network of
vessels.

– The circulatory system is one of the body’s

chief homeostatic systems. The system:

• Distributes oxygen
• helps maintain constant levels of nutrients and
wastes,
• helps regulate body temperature,
• distributes body heat,
• protects against microorganisms, and
• through clotting, protects against blood loss.
 The circulatory
system has two
major circuits:
2. Pulmonary Circuit
3. Systemic Circuit
 The Heart
• The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood
throughout the body
– There are three layers in the heart walls:
• The pericardium
• The myocardium
• The endocardium

• Blood flows through two distinct circuits in the

cardiovascular system.
– The pulmonary circuit, which transports blood to
and from the lungs.
– The systemic circuit, which delivers blood to the
body and returns it to the heart.
• The human heart consists of four chambers: two atria
and two ventricles.

– The right atrium and right ventricle service the

pulmonary circuit.
– The right atrium receives blood, low in oxygen and
rich in carbon dioxide, from the superior and
inferior vena cavae.
– From the right atrium, blood is pumped into the
right ventricle, then to the lungs.
– Blood, resupplied with oxygen, returns to the heart via
the pulmonary veins, which empty into the left atrium.
– The left atrium and left ventricle pump blood into the
aorta and are part of the systemic circuit.
– Blood from the aorta supplies cells of tissues and organs
with oxygen and picks up cellular wastes.
• Valves help control the flow of blood in the heart

• Heart sounds result from the closing of heart

valves
• Heart rate is controlled primarily by an internal
pacemaker .

– The sinoatrial (SA) node is located in the upper

wall of the right atrium.
– The cells of the SA node discharge periodically,
sending impulses to all atrial muscle cells, which
cause them to contract in unison.
– The impulse next travels to the ventricles, but its
passage is delayed to time for the ventricles to fill.
– The impulse is channeled the atrioventricular
(AV) node.
• External factors regulate the
pacemaker
– The SA node is curbed by
impulses transmitted by nerves
that connect the heart with a
control center in the brain.
– Hormones also play a role in
controlling heart rate.

• The heart’s electrical activity can

be measured on the surface of the
chest.
– The measurement is called an
electrocardiogram.
 The Blood Vessels

• Blood flows from the heart to the capillaries, then back

to the heart via veins.

• Arteries and arterioles deliver oxygen-rich blood to

tissues and organs.
– The aorta and many of its chief branches are
elastic.
– Blood pressure and flow rate are highest in the
aorta and drop considerably as the arteries branch.
– This decline enhances the rate of exchange
between the blood and the tissues.
• Capillaries permit the exchange of nutrients and wastes
– Capillaries form branching networks, known as
capillary beds, among the cells of body tissues
– Venules drain capillaries and merge to form veins
that transport blood back to the heart.
– In the veins above the
heart, gravity is the chief
means of propulsion.
– Veins below the heart
rely on the movement of
body parts to squeeze
the blood upward and
on valves that prevent
the backflow of blood
 The Lymphatic System
• The lymphatic system is a
secondary system of
vessels that returns excess
fluid to the circulatory
system
– The lymphatic system
includes the lymph
nodes, spleen, thymus,
and tonsils.
– Lymph nodes filter the
lymph.
– Normally, lymph is
removed from tissues at
a rate equal to its
production.
 Cardiovascular Diseases Causes and Cures

• The cardiovascular system—the heart and blood

vessels—are subject to a variety of potentially life
threatening disease
• Myocardial infarction: blockage of
the arteries supplying heart
muscle can lead to heart attacks.
– can occur without warning or
may be preceded by several
weeks of angina.

• Fibrillation: another type of heart

attack results from a loss of
electrical control.
– The cardiac muscle cells beat
independently.
– The heart can stop beating
altogether (cardiac arrest).
• Preventing heart attacks is the best cure
– Proper diet, exercise, and stress management can
reduce the risk of heart problem

• Many medical treatments are available to treat heart

attacks.
• High blood pressure (hypertension) develops gradually
over time.
– Hypertension is a prolonged elevation in blood
pressure.
– Early detection and treatment are essential to prevent
serious problems, including heart attacks.
• Atherosclerosis results from
the buildup of cholesterol
plaque in arteries.
– Arteries clogged with
cholesterol force the heart
to work harder.
– Blood clots can lodge in
narrowed coronary arteries.

• Weakening of the arterial walls

can result in a rupture
(aneurysm) of the wall.
End of Chapter 6