Features of Blood Circulation - Assignment Example

Sub Department Transport 1 The main difference between Pulmonary and Systematic Circulation is that Pulmonary Circulation is the portion of the cardiovascular system that is tasked with the transportation of de-oxygenated blood from the heart and onto the lungs and back to the heart for it to pump the oxygenated blood to the other parts of the body. On the other hand Systematic Circulation can be described as the portion of the cardiovascular system that is tasked with the transportation of blood from the heart and onto the other parts of the body, in addition to returning deoxygenated blood back to the heart (Manjunatha, 2012). 1.2 The heart is a critical muscle within the body whose location is between the lungs and whose chief purpose is pumping of blood throughout the entire body. This role is executed with the assistance of Pulmonary Circulation and Systematic Circulation which are tasked with blood circulation. The heart consists of 4 chambers; 2 upper atria as well as 2 lower ventricles. Both the left and right sides of the heart operate together. Blood enters into the right side of the heart via 2 big veins; the superior and inferior vena cava, which empties deoxygenated blood from various parts of the body inside the right atrium. The pulmonary vein on the left side then pours oxygenated blood from the lungs and into the left atrium. The atrial contraction occurs when blood flows from the right atrium and into the right ventricle via the tricuspid valve that is usually open. The tricuspid valve normally shuts whenever the ventricles become full, a role that holds blood from backward flow into the atria as the ventricles squeeze/contract. On the left side, blood flows from the left atrium and into the left ventricle via the open mitral valve. Whenever the ventricles fill, there is shutting of mitral valve which stops blood from backward flow and into the atria as the ventricles contract (squeeze).Ventricular contraction comprises of carbon dioxide and oxygen travelling to and from small numerous air sacs in the lungs via the capillaries walls and into the blood. On the right side, blood comes out of heart via the pulmonic valve and into the pulmonary artery and finally finds its way to the lungs. On the left side, blood comes out of the heart via the aortic valve, and into the aorta and finally to the body. Normally this pattern is normally repeated, resulting in the continuous flow of the blood to the heart, then lungs and onto the entire body (Storad, 2006). 1.3 The circulatory system comprises of the blood vessels, the blood and the heart. It serves the following functions; respiration which is transportation of oxygen to the body cells as well as removal of carbon dioxide from various body cells. Secondly it transports nutrients from digested food to body cells, removes waste and other accumulated poisonous substances from the body .The circulatory system is also tasked with immunity through assisting in protecting the body from diseases, assists in cellular communication via the circulatory system by offering a mode of transport for various hormones and finally assists in thermoregulation which basically is the transportation of het by either warming or cooling the body (Storad, 2006). 1.4 The blood consists over 4,000 various types of components. Nevertheless, the 4 most important comprise of the red and white cells, platelets as well as plasma and every human being produce these components with no regional or population differences. The red blood cells also known as erythrocytes are comparatively big microscopic cells having no nuclei. They are tasked with transportation of oxygen from a person’s heart to all other living cells of the body as well as ferrying carbon dioxide from the body to the lungs. They are continuously produced in the bone marrow and contains hemoglobin which is the gas carrying protein molecule making up 95 percent of the red cell. The white blood cells (or the leukocytes) on the other hand exist in variable types and numbers, but constitute of a very tiny portion of the volume of the blood-usually around 1 percent for healthy persons. These are the soldiers of the body and usually spot and attach to alien protein on viruses, proteins as well as fungi in order for them to be removed. There are several specialized sub-types white blood cells that take part in various ways in defense of our immune system. Platelets are also known as thrombocytes can be said to be cell fragments lacking a nuclei and operate together with chemicals responsible for blood clotting at wounded parts. They execute this by adhering themselves top the blood vessels walls, hence plugging the ruptured vascular wall. Platelets are able to discharge coagulating chemicals that result in the formation of clots within the blood in a cascading way, hence one factor triggers another. Lastly, plasma is the comparatively clear, water that is yellow tinted and consists of protein fat, salt, water (92%) and sugar solution and is tasked with transportation of platelets, white cells, and red cells. Usually 55% of human blood volume consists of plasma and as the heart supplies blood through the entire body, plasma takes nourishment to them in addition to removing metabolic waste products. In addition, blood clotting factors, lipids, minerals, sugars, enzymes, hormones, proteins and antibodies are contained in plasma (Storad, 2006). 1.5 The main blood vessels comprise of arteries, veins and capillaries. Arteries have elastic, muscular and thick walls capable of resisting the high-pressure blood flowing in them. Their walls are also made up of smooth muscle fibre which contracts and relaxes under the guidance of sympathetic nervous system. They are responsible for transportation of blood from the heart. In addition, they only carry oxygenated blood with the exception of the pulmonary artery. Arteries progressively branch into tiny vessels known as arterioles that finally join tiny capillaries, having walls that are one cell thick only. Capillaries are extremely small narrow vessels. The walls of capillaries are one cell thick to facilitate materials exchange. The main function of capillaries is supplying body tissues with the required blood components in addition to waste products removal from the neighboring cells. Capillaries also facilitate exchange of carbon dioxide, salts, water etc between the blood and the neighboring body tissues. Capillaries join tiny veins (venules) that slowly coalesce to form big veins. Venules are tiny vessels draining blood from capillaries into the veins. Veins on the other hand have thin walls which facilitate their expansion and holding of huge quantities of blood whenever the body is resting. Big veins have one-way valves that aid in stopping blood from flowing on the wrong direction. The main functions of veins include transportation of blood to the heart as well as transportation of only deoxygenated blood with the exception of pulmonary vein (Scott & Fong, 2013). 1.6 Examples of two diseases of the heart include; rheumatic heart disease which may be as a result of rheumatic fever attack(s) leading to the damaging of the heart, especially heart valves. Normally rheumatic fever happens in childhood. Thus the fever affects the heart resulting in scarring of the valves heart muscle weakening or damage to the sac that encloses the heart. The second disease is hypertensive heart disease which is as result of high blood pressure or particular infections or diseases such as adrenal glands tumor, kidney disease or damage to the kidney. Thus, hypertension might overburden not only the heart but also blood vessels hence resulting in disease. Some of the diseases of the blood include anaemia which is one kind of red blood condition that is normally caused by deficiency of the iron in the blood. Sickle cell anaemia is one type of red blood cell disorder that gets its name from the odd sickle shape of the cells affected. A healthy cell is disc-shaped, however because of genetic mutation, the cells of individuals having sickle cell anaemia has unusual haemoglobin molecules and thus are curved and rigid. The red blood cells of individuals suffering from sickle cell anaemia are not able to transport much oxygen to their tissues like the healthy red blood cells. The sickle shaped cells could also get stuck in one’s blood vessels, thus blocking flow of blood to various organs. The second blood disorder is leukemia which is a type of blood cancer whereby white blood cells turns out to be malignant and increases within the bone marrow. Thus, leukemia can be chronic (gradually progressing) and acute (severe and rapid).Leukemia can be treated by chemotherapy or stem cell transplant which may lead to full recovery. 2.1 The lymphatic system is made up of lymphatic vessels as well as related lymphoid organs. Thus, lymphatic vessels are permeable, thin walled vessels having valves to avoid lymph backflow. Lymphatic vessels operate by collecting excessive tissue fluid from the tissues and taking it back to the bloodstream, an activity very important in prevention of oedema. Lymph nodes are organized group of lymphoid tissue, and acts as passageway of lymph on its way back to the blood. The nodes are situated at various intervals alongside the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system plays numerous roles in the body such as removing interstitial fluid from tissues, absorption and transportation of fat and fatty acids as chyle from the digestive system, transportation of white blood cells towards and from the lymph nodes to the bones and finally, the lymphatic system is tasked with transportation of antigen-presenting cells(APCs) for instance dendritic cells for immune response stimulation at the lymph nodes. 2.2 Lymphatic fluid is formed when interstitial also known as tissue fluid filters inside lymphatic capillaries. Thus, as the fluid filters and occupies the tissue space coming from the bloodstream it causes a buildup of pressure within this space and an increase in this pressure results in the interstitial fluid diffusing into the lymphatic capillaries .It is worthwhile noting that the moment the interstitial fluid has penetrated the lymphatic capillaries it is known as lymph (Daroczy, 2012). 2.3 The circulatory system and the lymphatic system are 2 of the most significant anatomical elements of human beings. They basically constitute the body’s blood circulating and waste removal capabilities, respectively. There are scholars who think that the 2 systems ought to be regarded as part of a single major system known as the cardiovascular system. These two systems are intertwined and function together in transportation of materials via the entire body. Additionally, blood portions assist in the creation of lymph. Lymph on the other hand is tasked with the responsibility of removing blood cells that are wasteful from the body. Consequently, these systems operate in a similar way and they all produce lymph and blood that travel through the vast network of ducts and vessels to different regions of the body. Every one of these liquid materials ferry nutrients or is charged with waste removal. As such, the two systems could be regarded as circulatory in their nature. In addition, the circulatory system is basically tasked with blood transportation via the entire body and comprises of the heart, the arteries and veins that transport blood via the entire body. Transportation of blood is an important function since it ferries numerous fluids and nutrients that are required by the body for sustenance. On the other hand, lymphatic system serves as the body’s waste removal system and whenever muscles absorb unneeded substances, lymph takes it up and transports it to lymph nodes for ingestion. Thus, unusable and old red blood cells are removed from the body in this manner, implying that the lymphatic system is used by the circulatory system as a way of disposal. Moreover, a person’s circulatory and lymphatic system operate together so as to provide lymph to the body. The lymphatic system produces lymph which is a clear fluid which is transported by lymphatic vessels and finally moved through contractions of the vessels. The lymph is deposited in the lymphatic ducts from the lymphatic vessels and after travelling via these regions, it eventually pours into the circulatory system via subclavian veins. Thus, the blood plays a critical function in creating lymph. Consequently, blood plasma turns into a substance called interstitial fluid any time the body tissues come into contact with it. Part of this fluid drains into lymphatic vessels and eventually is changed into lymph. Thus, the two systems work hand in hand and are all tasked with circulation of various substances throughout the body. 2.4 A heart rate experiment can be performed by measuring the heartbeat/pulse of a given number of people such as 20 or 30 of different ages and sexes. All the candidates should be exposed to similar conditions. After their heartbeats/pulses have been taken, the average should be determined and graphs of number of the people against heart rate ranges can also be plotted. This way, the pulse rate can be established quite easily and should lie between 60-100 beats, though this can go up or down depending on the activity being carried by an individual. List of References Scott, A. & Fong,E.2013 Body Structures and Functions. New York: Cengage Brain. Daroczy, J.2012 The Dermal Lymphatic Capillaries. New York: Springer. Manjunatha, B.2012 Understanding Medical Physiology: A Textbook for Medical Students. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers Ltd. Storad, C.2006 The Circulatory System. New York: Lener. Read More