The Circulatory

System in Man
OPEN BIBLE HIGFH
SCHOOL
Form 4 Biology Class 2016
The Importance of a Transport System

Transport systems are needed in order to

transport materials from one place to another.
Some materials that need to be transported in
the human body include:
Digested food
Nitrogenous waste products such as urea
Oxygen
Carbon dioxide
Hormones
Amoeba & Jellyfish
Amoeba & Jellyfish have a small volume
in relation to their surface area.
Therefore, the cell contents of their
body are located very near to the
surrounding environment.
These organisms exchange materials
over the surface of their body by simple
diffusion and are transported to all the
cells of the organisms.
Large Multicellular animals
In these organisms, cells are located far
away from the surrounding environment
because they have a large volume in
relation to their surface area.
Simple diffusion will take too long for
materials to be transported from the air
to their cells.
A transport system is thus needed to
transport materials from one part of the
body to another.
The Circulatory system in Man
The main transport system of a mammal is its
blood system also called the vascular system or
human circulatory system .
The human circulatory system is made up of 3
parts:
1. Blood-which contains materials to be transported &
flows through blood vessels .
2. The blood vessels-which run throughout the entire
body & consist of a system of interconnecting tubes.
3. The heart- which acts as a muscular pump to keep the
blood flowing through the blood vessels.
General layout of the Human
Circulatory System
Types of Circulatory systems:

Open Circulatory System-

These exist in insects like the grasshopper where
the blood is not contained within the blood vessels
& is pumped into spaces around the body tissues.
Blood bathes the tissues & is in direct contact with
the tissues.
Double Circulatory System-
These exist in mammals where the blood travels
through the heart twice on one complete journey
around the body.
The Position of the Heart in
Humans
The Structure of the Heart
In human beings, the heart of an adult has an average
weight of 300g and is about the size of a clenched fist.
The heart is located behind the sternum (breastbone)
and between the 2 lungs.
It is made up of a unique type of muscle called cardiac
muscle.
The heart is covered by a tough membrane called the
pericardium, which contains pericardial fluid.
The pericardial fluid lubricates the heart against the
membrane as it is beating.
On the surface of the heart, blood vessels called the
coronary arteries can be seen. These arteries transport
glucose & oxygen to the cardiac muscles for respiration
to produce energy.
Internal Structure of the Heart
 Internal Structure of the Heart
(Contd)
The mammalian heart is divided into a right & left
side and are completely separated from each other
by a muscular wall called the septum.
Each side has 2 chambers:
The upper chambers on each side are called
atria (singular atrium)
The lower chambers are called ventricles.
 Internal Structure-Blood Vessels

Each of the 2 chambers mentioned before, is

served by blood vessels that carry blood into or
away from the heart.
The Vena Cava- is connected to the right atrium and
brings blood back to the body. The superior (or anterior)
vena cava brings blood back from the upper tissues of the
body while the inferior (or posterior) vena cava brings
blood back from the lower tissues of the body.
The pulmonary artery- is connected to the right ventricle
and carries blood to the lungs.
The pulmonary vein- is connected to the left atrium and
brings blood back from the lungs.
The aorta- is connected to the left ventricle and carries
blood to all parts of the body except the lungs.
 Internal Structure-Valves
The atria & ventricles have valves between them called
atrioventricular valves, which prevent the backflow of
blood into the atria when the ventricles contract.
The atrioventricular valves consist of:
The bicuspid valve (this consists of 2 cup-shaped flaps
found on the left side of the heart).
The tricuspid valve (this consists of 3 cup-shaped flaps
found on the right side of the heart).
Another set of valves called semilunar valves are also
found in the pulmonary arteries & aorta. These valves
prevent the backflow of blood into the ventricles when
the ventricles relax.
Flow of blood in the Heart
Blood that is low in oxygen and high in carbon
dioxide is called deoxygenated blood.
Blood that is high in oxygen is called
oxygenated blood.
Oxygenated blood is bright red in color and
travels towards the heart from the lungs.
Deoxygenated blood is darker in color and
travels back to the lungs to be resupplied with
oxygen.
Blood flow in the Heart
On the right side of On the left side of the
the heart heart

Deoxygenated blood from Oxygenated blood from

the tissues of the body
the lungs returns to the
returns to the right side of
left side of the heart.
the heart.
The atrium receives the
The atrium receives the
oxygenated blood from
blood from the vena cava
the pulmonary vein &
& pumps it into the
pumps it into the
ventricle.
ventricle.
The ventricle pumps the The ventricle pumps the
blood into the pulmonary
blood at high pressure into
artery which carries it to
the aorta which carries it
the lungs for gaseous
to the rest of the body.
exchange to occur.
Diagram of blood flow
The direction of blood flow in the
heart & in the circulatory system
 Comparison of a Normal heart & a heart
with an Atrial Septal Defect
NORMAL HEART HEART DEFECT (hole
Deoxygenated blood in the heart)
on the right side of When there is a hole
the heart is always in the septum,
kept separate from oxygenated blood is
oxygenated blood on mixed with
the left side by the deoxygenated blood
septum. causing less oxygen
to be obtained, thus
affecting physical
activities.
 The Cardiac Cycle
The human heart beats around 70 times per
minute.
The cardiac cycle describes the continuous
sequence of events that occurs during one
heartbeat.
The heartbeat is made up of 2 basic
components:
NB
:
- Contraction of the Cardiac Muscle (Systole)
- Relaxation of the Cardiac Muscle (Diastole)

The left ventricle has a thicker wall than the right ventricle
because it has to pump blood under high pressure to the entire
body whereas the right ventricle only has to pump blood to the
lungs at lower pressure.
Click icon to
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Atrial & Ventricular

diastole
Blood returns to the atria through
the vena cava & pulmonary vein.
As the atria are filled with blood,
pressure inside increases and
pushes open the bicuspid &
tricuspid valves, allowing blood to
enter the ventricles. The pressure
in the ventricles is still lower than
the aorta & pulmonary artery and
so the semi-lunar valves close.
Atrial Systole
The cardiac muscle of the
atria contract and force
any remaining blood into
the ventricles. The
ventricles remain at
diastole.
Click icon to
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Ventricular Systole

The cardiac muscles of the

ventricles contract and
pressure inside increases. This
causes the bicuspid & tricuspid
valves to close to prevent
backflow of blood into the atria.
The semilunar valves open,
allowing blood to enter the
aorta and pulmonary arteries.
 Valves involved in the Cardiac Cycle
It is important to keep blood flowing in the right direction
through the heart & body.
Valves are therefore present, to prevent unwanted
backflow of blood to undesirable directions.
Also, when the valves close, the heartbeat sounds, lub
and dub can be heard with a stethoscope.
Atrioventricular Valves- found between the atria &
ventricles prevent backflow of blood into the atria when the
ventricles contract. The valves close because ventricular
pressure exceeds atrial pressure. The 1st louder heartbeat sound
lub is produced.
Semi-lunar Valves- found in the aorta & pulmonary
artery prevent backflow of blood into the ventricles when the
ventricles relax. The valves close because there is greater
pressure in the arteries than the ventricles. The 2 nd softer
heartbeat sound dub is produced.
 DOUBLE CIRCULATION
Humans and other mammals and birds have a double circulatory
system in which the blood passes through the heart twice in one
complete circuit.
The double circulation consists of:
The pulmonary circulation
The systemic circulation

In the pulmonary circulation, deoxygenated blood is pumped

out of the heart to the lungs at reduced pressure. This ensures
that blood flows more slowly through the lungs, giving sufficient
time for the blood to be well oxygenated as well as protect
delicate capillaries in the lungs.
In the systemic circulation, oxygenated blood is pumped out of
the heart to the rest of the body at increased pressure. This
ensures that oxygen & nutrients are transported rapidly around
the body, which is important in maintaining a high metabolic
rate in mammals & birds.
 The structure and Function of
the Blood Vessels
The blood vessels that make up the circulatory
system are of 3 main types:

Arteries (that carry blood away from the heart).

Veins (that carry blood towards the heart).
Capillaries (that link arteries & veins, taking
blood close to almost every cell in the body).
 The structure and Function of
the Blood Vessels
The blood vessels that make up the circulatory
system are of 3 main types:

Arteries (that carry blood away from the heart).

Veins (that carry blood towards the heart).
Capillaries (that link arteries & veins, taking
blood close to almost every cell in the body).
 The Structure and Function of the Arteries:
The function of arteries is to transport blood rapidly
and at high pressure, from the heart to the tissues of
the body.
Arteries carry oxygenated blood, except the
pulmonary arteries.
Arteries have walls made up of 3 layers.

lumen

External layer
(connective
Middle layer tissue)
(smooth Wavy elastic
endotheliu
muscle & membrane
m
elastic fibres)
 Arteries-Properties &
functions
The structure of the artery is related to its function in the
following ways:

The artery walls are very thick- This provides strength and
resilience to the walls to withstand blood at high pressure
and prevent the artery from bursting.
There is a large amount of elastic fibres in the artery walls-
This allows the walls to stretch & prevent the arteries from
bursting due to high pressure. This allows the walls to recoil
after stretching, creating a surge of pressure to carry blood
forward in a series of pulses. This ensures that blood
reaches all parts of the body.
There are no valves except in the aorta & pulmonary
artery- This is because blood leaving the heart is constantly
at high pressure and does not tend to flow backwards.
The structure and Function of Veins
The function of the veins is to transport blood slowly
under low pressure, from the tissues of the body to
the heart.
Veins carry deoxygenated blood, except the
pulmonary veins.
The walls of the veins are made up of the same 3
layers as the arteries.
lumen

External layer
(connective
tissue) endothelium
Middle layer
(smooth muscle & elastic
fibres)
Veins- Properties & Functions
The structure of the vein is related to its function in the following
ways:

The walls are thinner containing less muscle & elastic fibres- The
blood in the veins is at low pressure and so there is no risk of the
vein bursting.

There are less elastic fibres in the venous walls- The blood pressure
is too low to cause any recoil action and also will not cause the
veins to burst.

There are semilunar valves throughout the veins- Blood at low

pressure tends to flow backwards. Contractions of skeletal muscles
help to push the blood along the vein by compressing against it and
causing the pressure inside the veins to slightly increase. The
valves ensure that blood flows in one direction only, towards the
heart.
 The action of valves in the vein
a. Shows the valves open by blood pushing through
b. Shows the valves close by blood flowing backwards

a. b.
Muscular contractions help to push
blood forward in the veins.
 Legs with versus legs without varicose
veins

Legs without varicose veins

Click icon to Varicose veins
add picture What are varicose veins???
Varicose veins are veins that lie
just beneath the surface of the
skin & have become swollen &
bulging. They can appear
anywhere in the body but most
often in the legs & feet. They
are usually harmless but may
cause pain, ache & skin
problems. The appearance of
the veins on the affected areas
is also not aesthetically pleasing
to the eye.
How does it happen???

In varicose veins, the valves do

not work well, causing blood to
pool in the vein. This causes the
vein to swell & bulge out,
forming varicose veins.
Click icon to
add picture What causes it???
Long periods of sitting and
standing to work, obesity and
pregnancy put excessive
pressure on the legs or
abdomen which lead to
varicose veins.
Are there any
treatments???
Performing certain leg
exercises, wearing compression
stockings and avoiding long
periods of sitting or standing
can help relieve any
discomfort. Cosmetic
treatments are available but
unfortunately there are no
treatment to prevent new veins
from becoming varicose veins.
The structure & functions of Capillaries:
The capillaries transport blood to almost all the cells
of the body and allow exchange of materials to occur
between the tissue cells and blood.
As arteries reach the tissue to which they are
transporting blood, they branch into smaller vessels
called arterioles which branch even further into
capillaries.
As blood leaves a capillary network, the capillaries
gradually join to form larger vessels called venules,
which join again to form veins.
 Capillaries-Properties & function
The structure of the capillary is related to its function in the following
ways:

The wall (endothelium) is made up of one layer cells- This makes

the capillary wall very thin which allows rapid diffusion of materials between
the tissue cells and blood, as diffusion takes place over a short distance.
They are numerous and highly branched- When all the internal walls
of capillaries for the entire body are added up, it is huge! This therefore
increases the surface area to volume ratio for exchange of materials.
They are very narrow in diameter- This allows the capillaries to reach
out to all cells in the body and bring blood to the cells.
They have a very narrow lumen (~7 m in diameter)- as blood
flows through, the red blood cells are forced to line themselves in a single file
and are squeezed flat against the sides of the capillary. This brings them even
closer to the cells and allows rapid diffusion to take place.
Blood pressure is lowered as an arteriole branches into
capillaries- This slows down the flow of blood, giving sufficient time for the
exchange of materials between the tissue cells and blood.
Comparison of the Arteries, Veins &
Capillaries
 Composition & Functions of Blood
Blood is the medium which materials are transported
between different parts of the body.
Humans contain 4 to 5 litres of blood.
It consists of plasma (55%) and blood cells (45%) red
blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

COMPONENTS OF BLOOD:
 Structure & function of Plasma
Plasma is a pale yellow liquid in which the blood cells
float. It is mainly made up of water (90%) and 10%
dissolved substances.
The function of plasma is to transport heat & dissolved
substances from where they are produced or absorbed
to the cells that use or excrete them.

These dissolved substances include:

Nutrients e.g. glucose, amino acids
Waste products e.g. urea
Vitamins and mineral salts e.g. calcium, iron, vitamin C
Hormones e.g. insulin, adrenaline
Plasma proteins e.g. fibrinogen, albumin, prothrombin
Respiratory gases e.g. oxygen , carbon dioxide
 Structure & Function of red blood cells
Red blood cells are also called erythrocytes.
There are 5 million of them in each mm3 of blood
measuring 7-8m in diameter, and have a lifespan of
about 120 days.
This means that the bone marrow which makes them
has to make about 2 million red blood cells per
second!
Red blood cells contain a protein pigment called
haemoglobin, which gives them their characteristic
red colour.
Haemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen
in the red blood cells from the lungs to respiring cells
in the body.
Oxygen binds reversibly to haemoglobin to form
oxyhaemoglobin. As blood passes through tissues
 Structural features of Red blood cells
There are unusual features in the structure of the red blood cell
which gives them a shorter lifespan but makes them more
efficient in their role of transporting oxygen.
Red blood cells are shaped like a biconcave disc- This means
that they are much thinner in the middle which increases their
surface area to volume ratio. This allows rapid diffusion of
oxygen into or out of the cell.
Red blood cells have no nucleus, mitochondria, rough
endoplasmic reticulum or golgi apparatus- the lack of these
organelles means that there is more room for haemoglobin,
which carries oxygen. This allows more oxygen to be carried by
the red blood cells.
Red blood cells are small and changes shape- This allows them
to squeeze through the capillaries and be flattened against the
capillary walls. This brings red blood cells very close to the
tissue cells and allows diffusion to occur rapidly.
Structure of a red blood cell
 Structure of White blood cells:
White blood cells are also called leucocytes.
There are 5000 to 10000 white blood cells in each
mm3 of blood.
That makes about one white blood cell to every
700 red blood cells.
White blood cells have a lifespan of one day or
less and are also made in the bone marrow.
 Features of white blood cells:
Each white blood cell has the following features that
distinguish them from red blood cells:
They all contain a nucleus
They are either spherical or irregular in shape
Most of them are larger than red blood cells.
They can change shape and squeeze through the
walls of capillaries into the fluid that surrounds tissue
cells.
 Function of white blood cells
The function of white blood cells is to protect the body
against infection. The 2 main types of white blood cells
are:
1. Phagocytes- which remove foreign particles and
microorganisms such as bacteria, and dead cells
through the process of phagocytosis. Phagocytes
first engulf the foreign particle before ingesting and
digesting it.
2. Lymphocytes- which produce chemical substances
called antibodies which protect us from disease-
causing organisms (pathogens) by making them
clump together for easier ingestion by phagocytes
or by neutralizing their toxins.
 Structure and function of
platelets:
Platelets are cell fragments which are formed when a
small part of a large cell in the bone marrow breaks off.
They have a life span of about 10 days and are very
small, only 3m in diameter.
Platelets do not have a nucleus, but contain mitochondria.
They play an important role in the process of blood
clotting which seals off the wound to prevent excessive
blood loss and entry of pathogens into the blood.
 When the skin is cut, and a small blood vessel is
broken, a series of reactions occur to clot the blood.
Platelets can adhere to the walls of damaged blood
vessels and swell, releasing chemicals which
stimulate more platelets, resulting in a mass of
sticky, swollen platelets, adhering to the damaged
blood vessel wall, forming a platelet plug.
 Structure and function of platelets:
If the wound is small, a platelet plug is all that is
needed to seal the wound. If this is not enough, a
blood clot may be formed.
A blood clot results when the soluble protein
fibrinogen, which is always present in blood
plasma, is converted into insoluble protein fibrin,
after a series of reactions occur in the plasma.
Platelets release enzymes and chemicals called
clotting factors which are necessary for these
reactions to take place.
Fibrin forms a mesh of protein threads across the
wound, which traps blood cells and more platelets,
and the whole mass is a blood clot.
 Blood Clotting

Fibrin threads form a mesh

across the wound,
trapping blood cells.
 Hypertension
Blood pressure is a force that blood exerts on the
walls of blood vessels.
It can be measured using an instrument called the
sphygmomanometer.
Blood pressure is always measured in terms of mm
of mercury
(Hg) and recorded as systolic and diastolic pressure.

Systolic pressure- is the blood pressure in the

arteries during
ventricular systole.
Diastolic pressure- is the blood pressure in the
arteries during ventricular diastole.
 Hypertension:
Normal blood pressure in humans is 120-140 mmHg
(systolic) and 80-90 mmHg (diastolic).
A person with systolic pressure of 160mmHg and
diastolic pressure of 95mmHg is considered to have
hypertension.
Hypertension is a risk factor associated with heart
disease and increases the risk of atherosclerosis ,
stroke and kidney failure.
It is called the silent killer because hypertension
does not display any symptoms or signs.
Causes--------