Circulatory System
• The circulatory system is a system of blood vessels with a pump and valves to
ensure one-way flow of blood
The double circulatory system in mammals
Circulatory Systems of Fish & Mammals: Extended
Circulatory systems in Fish
• Fish have a two-chambered heart and a single circulation
• This means that for every one circuit of the body, the blood passes through the heart
once
The single circulatory system in fish
Circulatory systems in Mammals
• Mammals have a four-chambered heart and a double circulation
• This means that for every one circuit of the body, the blood passes through the heart
twice
• The right side of the heart receives deoxygenated blood from the body and pumps it to
the lungs (the pulmonary circulation)
• The left side of the heart receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it to the
body (the systemic circulation)
Advantages of Double Circulation: Extended
• Blood travelling through the small capillaries in the lungs loses a lot of pressure that was
given to it by the pumping of the heart, meaning it cannot travel as fast
• By returning the blood to the heart after going through the lungs its pressure can be
raised again before sending it to the body, meaning cells can be supplied with
the oxygen and glucose they need for respiration faster and more frequently
The Mammalian Heart
• The heart is labelled as if it was in the chest so what is your left on a diagram
is actually the right hand side and vice versa
• The right side of the heart receives deoxygenated blood from the body and
pumps it to the lungs
• The left side of the heart receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps
it to the body
• Blood is pumped towards the heart in veins and away from the heart in arteries
• The two sides of the heart are separated by a muscle wall called the septum
• The heart is made of muscle tissue which are supplied with blood by
the coronary arteries
Structure of the heart
Monitoring Activity of the Heart
• Heart activity can be monitored by using an ECG, measuring pulse
rate or listening to the sounds of valves closing using a stethoscope
• Heart rate (and pulse rate) is measured in beats per minute (bpm)
• To investigate the effects of exercise on heart rate, record the pulse rate at rest
for a minute
• Immediately after they do some exercise, record the pulse rate every minute until
it returns to the resting rate
• This experiment will show that during exercise the heart rate increases and may
take several minutes to return to normal
Main Blood Vessels in the Body
• Blood is carried away from the heart and towards organs in arteries
• These narrow to arterioles and then capillaries as they pass through the organ
• The capillaries widen to venules and finally veins as they move away from the
organs
• Veins carry blood back toward the heart
The circulatory system
Important Blood Vessels
Table
Coronary Heart Disease
The coronary arteries
• The heart is made of muscle cells that need their own supply of blood to deliver oxygen,
glucose and other nutrients and remove carbon dioxide and other waste products
• The blood is supplied by the coronary arteries
• If a coronary artery becomes partially or completely blocked by fatty deposits called
‘plaques’ (mainly formed from cholesterol), the arteries are not as elastic as they should
be and therefore cannot stretch to accommodate the blood which is being forced through
them - leading to coronary heart disease
• Partial blockage of the coronary arteries creates a restricted blood flow to the cardiac
muscle cells and results in severe chest pains called angina
• Complete blockage means cells in that area of the heart will not be able to respire and
can no longer contract, leading to a heart attack
Buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries
Effect of narrowing of arteries
Risk Factors for CHD Table
Diet, Exercise & Coronary Heart Disease
Reducing the risks of developing coronary heart disease
• Quit smoking
• Diet - reduce animal fats and eat more fruits and vegetables - this will reduce
cholesterol levels in the blood and help with weight loss if overweight
• Exercise regularly - again, this will help with weight loss, decrease blood pressure and
cholesterol levels and help reduce stress