101-2

HUMAN AND SOCIAL

BIOLOGY

THE CIRCULATORY
SYSTEM
 The Limitation of Simple Diffusion

 Very small organisms obtain their oxygen and

nutrients by diffusion from the outside.

 When the volume of an organism is large, the

surface area ratio to its volume becomes
smaller.
 Simple diffusion cannot cope and a transport
system is needed.

 Human have a large volume in relation to their

body surface.

 Sufficient oxygen cannot

diffuse quickly to supply
all body organs.
 Purpose of a Circulatory System

 Transport substances from one part of the body

to another.
 Removal of waste from body parts.

Substances include:
 Oxygen
 Nutrients
 Carbon dioxide
 Urea
 Heat
 Parts of The Circulatory System

 The heart

 Blood

 Blood Vessels
 The Blood
 Thered Blood cell also called
erythrocytes

 Are the most numerous cells in the

blood
 Red blood cells have no nuclei.

 They are made in bone marrow.

 They are made in bone marrow.

 Vitamin b12 is needed to make red blood

cell.
 After 120 days the red blood cells are destroy in
the liver and spleen.

 Red blood cells transport oxygen round the

body.

 Oxygen from the alveoli combines with

haemoglobin to form oxyhaemoglobin.

 Haemoglobin can also combine with carbon

dioxide for transport.

 It has a bi-concave shape.

 The bi-concave shape of the red blood cell
increase its surface area.

 This increase the amount of oxygen it

transport.
Questions

1. List the components of the blood.

2. What is the advantage of the red blood cell bi-

concave shape?

3. Which type of circulation allows blood to move

between the heart and lungs?

4.
 White Blood Cell
 Also called leucocytes
 Have a nucleus

 White blood cells destroys bacteria

 Two types phagocytes and lymphocytes

 Phagocytes engulf microorganisms in a process

called phagocytosis.

 Lymphocytes produce
antibodies which kill
microorganisms.
 Plasma
 The liquid part of the blood.
 It is 90% water and 10% solutes.
 Transport nutrients from the small intestine.
 Carries nitrogenous waste from cells to the
kidneys.
 Carries hormones from endocrine gland to the
organ where it is needed.
 Help blood carry heat around the body
 Platelets
 Platelets have no nuclei.

 Plateletsare colourless and help in blood

clotting at wounds.
 Blood Clotting
 When you get a cut bleeding does not

continue for very long.

A lump of blood clumps over the wound

and seals it, preventing further bleeding.

 Alsoprevents
entry of micro-
organisms.
 A clot consists of a mesh of fibers.

 This trap blood cells and platelets at the wound.

 Mechanism of Blood Clotting
1. Platelets and damaged blood vessels release
the protein thromboplastin.

2. Thromboplastin then turns the protein

prothrombin into
thrombin.

3. Thrombin acts on
fibrinogen and turns
it into fibrin.
4. The fibrin forms the fibres in the clot.

5. Red blood cells and platelets become trapped

in the fibres forming the clot.

NB
Prothrombin, essential
for clotting, is made in
the liver.

Vitamin K help to make

prothrombin.
 The Heart
 The human heart consists almost entirely of cardiac
muscle tissue.

 This specialized muscle can contract about 70 times

per minute without tiring easily.

External view
Internal view
 Questions

1. Why does man need a circulatory system while

a bacterium does not?

2. What is heart muscle called?

3. Give the name of two useful substances and

two waste substances that the circulatory
system transport.
 Flow of Blood Through The Heart
 blood from all over the body enters the right

atrium.
 Blood from upper body parts is taken by

superior vena cava

 Blood from lower body

parts by the inferior
vena cava.

 This blood lacks

oxygen.
 The body cells have
 When right atrium contracts, blood is forced
through the tricuspid valve to the right
ventricle.

 Tricuspid valve close to

prevent back flow of
blood to right atrium

 The right ventricle

contracts and force
blood.

 Pulmonary artery take

Blood to both lungs.
 Blood becomes oxygen rich in lungs
(oxygenated).

 Oxygenated blood then enters the left atrium by

the pulmonary vein.

 Blood is then force

through the bicuspid
valve into left ventricle.

 Left ventricle then

contract and force
blood to aorta.
 Types Of Circulation
 There are two types

 Blood passes through the heart twice on its way

around the body once.

Pulmonary Circulation
This is the passage of blood around from the
heart to the lungs and back to the heart.

Systemic Circulation
This is the passage of blood around the rest of
the body, and its return to the heart.
 The cardiac Cycle

 This is the complete sequence of events during

one beat of the heart.

 Contractions of the heart chambers are called

systole.

 When the chamber relax it is called diastole.

 The Pacemaker
 The heart does not need to be told to contract by
the brain.
 In the wall of the right atrium are some

specialized cardiac muscle cells.

 The cells act as the heart’s

pacemaker.

 These cells send out pulses

of electricity that instruct
the atria and then the
ventricles to contract.
 Pulse rate
 The pumping of the heart causes the surges of
blood in arteries.

 This is detected as the pulse where an artery lies

above a bone near the surface of the body.

 The beating pulse can be seen at the temple and

wrist.
 Blood Pressure
 Blood in the blood vessels is under pressure.

 This is the pressure needed to pump blood

round all parts of the body.

 The pressure is the force exerted on the walls of

arteries.
 Circulatory diseases
Heart attack
 When blood stops flowing to part of the heart

muscle.
 Because a blockage occurs in one of the

coronary arteries.
 When this happens, the muscles does not get

the oxygen it needs to keep it working.

 It stops contracting, and parts of

it may die.
 In severe cases, the whole heart

stops beating. This is cause

cardiac arrest.
 Theperson will have no pulse, and they rapidly
become unconscious.

 Without immediate treatment, they will die.

 Atherosclerosis
 This is when fats with high cholesterol build up
in the arteries

 The fat laid down on the walls of the arteries

and reduces their internal diameter.

 This causes high blood pressure

(hypertension).

 This blockage is called thrombosis

 Arteriosclerosis

 This is when the walls of the arteries harden and

become less elastic.

 This also increases blood pressure and so

hypertension.

 The nicotine in cigarette smoke also increases

the risk of arteriosclerosis.