Circulatory system
Circulatory System
The Circulatory System (pronunciation: /sərˈkyo͝oləˌterē ˈsistəm/) is a complex network in the body that is responsible for the movement of blood, nutrients, hormones, oxygen and other gases to and from cells.
Etymology
The term "circulatory system" is derived from the Latin word 'circulatorius', meaning 'going in a circle', and the Greek word 'systēma', meaning 'whole compounded of several parts or members'.
Structure
The circulatory system is primarily composed of the heart, blood, and blood vessels.
- The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body.
- Blood is a body fluid that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells.
- Blood vessels are the channels or conduits through which blood is distributed to body tissues.
Function
The main function of the circulatory system is to transport blood to all parts of the body, thereby ensuring the distribution of nutrients, hormones, oxygen, and other necessary substances. It also helps in the removal of waste products like carbon dioxide and lactic acid.
Related Terms
- Artery: A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to the rest of the body.
- Vein: A blood vessel that carries blood towards the heart.
- Capillary: The smallest of the body's blood vessels, they connect arteries and veins and enable the exchange of water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and many other nutrients and waste substances between blood and the surrounding tissues.
- Hemoglobin: A protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs.
- Pulmonary Circulation: The portion of the circulatory system which carries oxygen-depleted blood away from the heart, to the lungs, and returns oxygenated blood back to the heart.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Circulatory system
- Wikipedia's article - Circulatory system
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