Cardiovascular System
Blood and its components
Erythrocytes
- Also known as red blood cells
- Structure: small biconcave cells with no nucleus or other organelles
- Function: transport oxygen bound to haemoglobin
- Produced by red bone marrow
Leucocytes
- Also known as white blood cells
- Structure: large irregularly shaped cells which contain a nucleus
- Function: to protect the body from infection
- Produced in bone marrow
Thrombocytes
- Also known as platelets
- Structure: small, fragile cell fragments, contain mitochondria but no nucleus
- Function: contain various elements that are responsible for blood clotting
- Produced in bone marrow from parts that break of large cells
Plasma and plasma proteins
- A clear slightly alkaline yellowish fluid consists of the following substances
1. Water
2. Plasma proteins: globulin, albumin, fibrinogen, prothrombin and heparin
3. Mineral salts
4. Nutrients
5. Organic waste
6. Hormones & enzymes
7. Antibodies & antitoxins
8. Gases
Describe the vessels in which it is carried
Arteries
- Structure: thick-walled, hollow tubes made from a fibrous outer covering, middle layer made from
muscle and elastic tissue, finally, the outer layer made from squamous epithelial tissue.
- Function: carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body
- However, the pulmonary artery carried deoxygenated blood to the lungs
Arterioles
- Structure: smaller version of arteries
- Function: relax and dilate to increase blood supply, they contract when an organ is at rest
Capillaries
- Structure: smallest blood vessels, walls are one cell thick. Allow the passing of gases
- Function: distribute essential oxygen and nutrients to most parts of the body
Venules
- Structure: smaller than veins, have thin walls with a large lumen
- Function: carry deoxygenated blood from the capillaries to the larger veins
Veins
- Structure: like arteries, however, have thinner walls and lumen is larger. They have valves to
prevent back flow
- However, the pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart
- Function: carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart
Main arteries of the head and neck
, - Innominate
- Common carotid
- Internal carotid
- External carotid
- Facial
- Occipital
- Superficial temporal
Main veins of the head and neck
- Posterior external jugular
- Occipital
- Superficial temporal
- Maxillary
- Anterior facial
- Common facial
- Internal jugular
- External jugular
Main arteries of the body
- Descending aorta
- Left common carotid
- Left subclavian
- Right common carotid
- Left subclavian
- Right common carotid
- Right subclavian
- Pulmonary
- Right hepatic
- Splenic
- Right renal
- Superior mesenteric
- Right iliac
- Inferior mesenteric
- Left iliac
- Vertebral
- Axillary
- Brachial
- Right ulnar
- Left ulnar
- Right radial
- Left radial
- Right deep palmar arch
- Left deep palmar arch
- Right superficial palmar arch
- Left superficial palmar arch
- External iliac
- Left femoral
- Right femoral
- Left popliteal
- Right popliteal
- Left anterior tibial
- Right anterior tibial
- Plantar arch
Main veins of the body
Blood and its components
Erythrocytes
- Also known as red blood cells
- Structure: small biconcave cells with no nucleus or other organelles
- Function: transport oxygen bound to haemoglobin
- Produced by red bone marrow
Leucocytes
- Also known as white blood cells
- Structure: large irregularly shaped cells which contain a nucleus
- Function: to protect the body from infection
- Produced in bone marrow
Thrombocytes
- Also known as platelets
- Structure: small, fragile cell fragments, contain mitochondria but no nucleus
- Function: contain various elements that are responsible for blood clotting
- Produced in bone marrow from parts that break of large cells
Plasma and plasma proteins
- A clear slightly alkaline yellowish fluid consists of the following substances
1. Water
2. Plasma proteins: globulin, albumin, fibrinogen, prothrombin and heparin
3. Mineral salts
4. Nutrients
5. Organic waste
6. Hormones & enzymes
7. Antibodies & antitoxins
8. Gases
Describe the vessels in which it is carried
Arteries
- Structure: thick-walled, hollow tubes made from a fibrous outer covering, middle layer made from
muscle and elastic tissue, finally, the outer layer made from squamous epithelial tissue.
- Function: carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body
- However, the pulmonary artery carried deoxygenated blood to the lungs
Arterioles
- Structure: smaller version of arteries
- Function: relax and dilate to increase blood supply, they contract when an organ is at rest
Capillaries
- Structure: smallest blood vessels, walls are one cell thick. Allow the passing of gases
- Function: distribute essential oxygen and nutrients to most parts of the body
Venules
- Structure: smaller than veins, have thin walls with a large lumen
- Function: carry deoxygenated blood from the capillaries to the larger veins
Veins
- Structure: like arteries, however, have thinner walls and lumen is larger. They have valves to
prevent back flow
- However, the pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart
- Function: carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart
Main arteries of the head and neck
, - Innominate
- Common carotid
- Internal carotid
- External carotid
- Facial
- Occipital
- Superficial temporal
Main veins of the head and neck
- Posterior external jugular
- Occipital
- Superficial temporal
- Maxillary
- Anterior facial
- Common facial
- Internal jugular
- External jugular
Main arteries of the body
- Descending aorta
- Left common carotid
- Left subclavian
- Right common carotid
- Left subclavian
- Right common carotid
- Right subclavian
- Pulmonary
- Right hepatic
- Splenic
- Right renal
- Superior mesenteric
- Right iliac
- Inferior mesenteric
- Left iliac
- Vertebral
- Axillary
- Brachial
- Right ulnar
- Left ulnar
- Right radial
- Left radial
- Right deep palmar arch
- Left deep palmar arch
- Right superficial palmar arch
- Left superficial palmar arch
- External iliac
- Left femoral
- Right femoral
- Left popliteal
- Right popliteal
- Left anterior tibial
- Right anterior tibial
- Plantar arch
Main veins of the body
