Introduction to the Human
Cardiovascular System
INTRODUCTION
The cardiovascular system is
transport system of body
It comprises blood, heart and
blood vessels.
The system supplies nutrients
to and remove waste
products from various tissue
of body.
The conveying media is liquid
in form of blood which flows
in close tubular system.
Figure 1-2(f)
FUNCTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR
SYSTEM
Transport nutrients, hormones
Remove waste products
Gaseous exchange
Immunity
Blood vessels transport blood
◦ Carries oxygen and carbon dioxide
◦ Also carries nutrients and wastes
Heart pumps blood through blood vessels
COMPONENTS OF CARDIOVASCULAR
SYSTEM
•BLOOD
•HEART
•BLOOD VESSELS
BLOOD
•The Blood: Blood cells & Plasma
•Blood cells
1- Erythrocytes - Red Blood Cells
2- Leucocytes
3- Thrombocytes
•Plasma is fluid portion
HEART
• Heart is a four chambered, hollow
muscular organ approximately the size of
your fist
• Location:
– Superior surface of diaphragm
– Left of the midline
– Anterior to the vertebral column, posterior
to the sternum
Chapter 18, Cardiovascular System 6
HEART
Figure 18.1
Chapter 18, Cardiovascular System 7
FUNCTIONS OF THE HEART
• Generating blood pressure
• Routing blood
Heart separates pulmonary and systemic
circulations
• Ensuring one-way blood flow
Heart valves ensure one-way flow
• Regulating blood supply
Changes in contraction rate and force match
blood delivery to changing metabolic needs
BLOOD VESSELS
•Blood Vessels -A closed network of tubes
•These includes:
Arteries
Capillaries
Veins
BLOOD VESSELS
-Arteries(Distributing channel)
• Thick walled tubes
• Elastic Fibers
• Circular Smooth Muscle
–Capillaries (microscopic vessels)
• One cell thick
• Serves the Respiratory System
–Veins (draining channel)
BLOOD VESSELS
• General structure
1.Tunica intima
2.Tunica media
3.Tunica adventitia
CLASSIFICATION OF BLOOD VESSELS
•Conducting Vessels
•Distributing Vessels
•Resistance Vessels
•Exchange Vessels
•Capacitance / Reservoir Vessels
ARTERIES
Blood vessels that
carry blood away from
the heart are called
arteries.
They are the thickest
blood vessels and they
carry blood high in
oxygen known as
oxygenated blood
(oxygen rich blood).
ARTERIES
• Accompanied by vein and nerves
• Lumen is small
• No valves
• Repeated branching
CLASSIFICATION OF ARTEIES
• Elastic- e.g. (Aorta & its Major branches)
• Muscular -e.g.(Renal, Testicular, Radial, Tibial
etc.)
• Arterioles (<0.1 mm)-
Terminal arterioles
Meta-arterioles
Thoroughfare
channel/ preferred
CAPILLARIES (5-8 micron)
• The smallest blood
vessels are
capillaries and they
connect the arteries
and veins.
• This is where the
exchange of
nutrients and gases
occurs.
BODY CONTAINS TWO KINDS OF CAPILLARIES
• CONTINUOUS-SKIN, LUNG, SMMOTH MUSCLE,
CONNECTIVE TISSUES
• FENESTRATED- PANCREAS,ENDOCRINE GLANDS,
SMALL INTESTINE,CHOROID PLEXUS,CILLIARY
PROCESS etc.
SINUSOIDS
•SINUSOIDS- Large irregular vascular space (30-
40 micron) eg.Liver, Spleen, Bone marrow,
suprarenal, Parathyroid etc.
VEINS
• Blood vessels that carry
blood back to the heart
are called veins.
• They have one-way
valves which prevent
blood from flowing
backwards.
• They carry blood that is
high in carbon dioxide
known as deoxygenated
blood (oxygen poor
blood).
VEINS
• Thin Walled
• Large irregular lumen
• Have valves
• Dead space around
• Types:
Large
Medium
Small
VEINS
• Veins without valves:
SVC & IVC
Hepatic, Renal
Uterine, Ovarian not Testicular
Facial
Pulmonary
Umbilical
Emissary
Portal Veins <2mm
VEINS
• Veins without Muscular tissue:
Dural venous sinuses
Pial Veins
Retinal
Veins of erectile tissue of sex organs
Veins of spongy bones
VEINS
• Factors responsible for venous return:
1.Muscle contraction
2.Negative intrathoracic pressure
3.Pulsation of arteries
4. Gravity
5. Valves
CIRCULATION
– Coronary circulation – the circulation
of blood within the heart.
– Pulmonary circulation – the flow of
blood between the heart and lungs.
– Systemic circulation – the flow of
blood between the heart and the cells
of the body.
– Fetal Circulation
SYSTEMIC AND PULMONARY
CIRCULATION
Pulmonary circulation
The flow of blood
between the heart
and lungs.
Systemic circulation
The flow of blood
between the heart
and the cells of the
body.
Figure 18.5
Chapter 18, Cardiovascular System 26
CORONARY CIRCULATION: ARTERIAL
SUPPLY
Chapter 18, Cardiovascular System 27
Figure 18.7a
