Function & Structures of Cardiovascular System

Cardiovascular System Function Transports materials to and from the cells Nutrients Oxygen Waste Hormones

Closed Circulatory System blood is confined to vessels The heart pumps blood into large vessels that branch into smaller ones leading into the organs. Materials exchanged by diffusion between blood and the interstitial fluid bathing the cells.

Cardiovascular System Structures 1. The Heart- cardiac muscle four chambers Right atrium Right ventricle Left atrium Left ventricle

Did you know? When veins break - varicose veins form 2. Blood Vessels -A network of tubes Arteriesarterioles move away from the heart Circular Smooth Muscle Capillaries – where gas exchange takes place. One cell thick Serves the Respiratory System VeinsVenules moves towards the heart Skeletal Muscles contract to force blood back from legs One way valves Did you know? When veins break - varicose veins form

3. The Blood Plasma Liquid portion of the blood. Contains clotting factors, hormones, antibodies, dissolved gases, nutrients and waste

B. Erythrocytes - Red Blood Cells Carry hemoglobin and oxygen. Did you know? Red blood cells do not have a nucleus and live only about 120 days and that they cannot repair themselves.

C. Leukocytes – White Blood cells Fight infection and are formed in the bone marrow

D. Thrombocytes – Platelets. Cell fragments (proteins) that clot blood by sticking together

Two Circuits Pulmonary circuit Systemic circuit The blood pathway between the right side of the heart, to the lungs, and back to the left side of the heart. Systemic circuit The pathway between the left and right sides of the heart (from heart to body and back).