The circulatory system is a crucial part of the human body responsible for
transporting blood, oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to cells throughout the
body and removing waste products like carbon dioxide. Key components of
the circulatory system include the heart, blood vessels (arteries, veins, and
capillaries), and blood itself.
Heart: The heart is a muscular organ located slightly left of the center of
the chest. It pumps blood throughout the body, delivering oxygen-rich blood
to tissues and organs via arteries and returning oxygen-depleted blood to
the lungs through veins.
Blood Vessels: Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to
various parts of the body. They branch into smaller arterioles, which further
divide into tiny capillaries. Capillaries are where the exchange of oxygen,
carbon dioxide, nutrients, and waste products occurs between blood and
tissues. After passing through capillaries, blood flows into venules and
then veins, which return oxygen-depleted blood back to the heart.
Blood: Blood is a specialized bodily fluid composed of plasma (which
carries nutrients and hormones), red blood cells (which transport oxygen),
white blood cells (which fight infections), and platelets (which aid in
clotting to stop bleeding).