The Cardiovascular System
Circulatory system |
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The human circulatory system. Red indicates oxygenated blood, blue indicates deoxygenated. |
Latin | systema cardiovasculare |
The circulatory system is an organ system that passes nutrients (such as amino acids and electrolytes), gases, hormones, blood cells, etc. to and from cells in the body to help fight diseases and help stabilize body temperature and pH to maintain homeostasis.
This system may be seen strictly as a blood distribution network, but some consider the circulatory system as composed of thecardiovascular system, which distributes blood,[1] and the lymphatic system,[2] which distributes lymph. While humans, as well as other vertebrates, have a closed cardiovascular system (meaning that the blood never leaves the network of arteries, veins and capillaries), some invertebrate groups have an open cardiovascular system. The most primitive animal phyla lack circulatory systems. The lymphatic system, on the other hand, is an open system.
Two types of fluids move through the circulatory system: blood and lymph. The blood, heart, and blood vessels form the cardiovascular system. The lymph, lymph nodes, and lymph vessels form the lymphatic system. The cardiovascular system and the lymphatic system collectively make up the circulatory system.
Contents [hide] * 1 Human cardiovascular system * 1.1 Pulmonary circulation * 1.2 Systemic circulation * 1.3 Coronary circulation * 1.4 Heart * 1.5 Closed cardiovascular system * 1.6 Measurement techniques * 1.7 Health and disease * 1.8 Oxygen transportation * 2 Nonhuman * 2.1 Other vertebrates * 2.2 Open circulatory system * 2.3 Absence of circulatory system * 3 History of discovery * 4 Other images * 5 See also * 6 References * 7 External links |
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[edit]Human cardiovascular system
The main components of the human cardiovascular system...