HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION - Case Study Example

The human circulatory system can generally be described as an organ system concerned with transfer of amino acids, the lymph and electrolytes on one hand and gases, blood cells and hormones on the other. From one cell to another throughout the body with the sole purpose of stabilizing the body temperature and keeping watch at disease vectors. Through lymph and blood contents, the system ensures balance in the body Ph and maintenance of the homeostatic processes (Neville, 1983 pg 678). The circulatory system comprises basically of two principle mechanisms that is; cardiovascular and lymphatic systems, the former being concerned with blood distribution and the latter being involved in return of excess filtered blood plasma from between cells and refers to as lymph.

Humans exhibit a closed cardiovascular system. Two fluids are formed to circulate throughout the human body system and there are blood and lymph. Lymph is filtered blood plasma from blood cells which are returned to lymphatic systems. Cardiovascular systems comprise of the blood, blood vessels and heart while the lymphatic system comprises of the lymph vessels, lymph and lymph nodes. The circulatory system comprises of two systems, pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation. Pulmonary circulation supplies blood to the lungs where blood is purified/ oxygenated whereas the system circulation supplies oxygenated blood to the rest of the body parts.

Blood as a tissue constitutes 7% of the total body weight of an average adult. The components of blood include platelets, plasma, red and white blood cells. A point to note is that the circulatory system complements the digestive system in the sense that it provides nutrients the system needs for continued pumping of the heart. Systemic circulation is a system concerned with nourishment of body tissues except the lungs and heart. Blood vessels are responsible for supply of oxygen and nutrients to various body tissues.

Re-oxygenated blood enters the