Lesson 1.
The Circulatory System
determine the parts and
Objectives 1 functions of the
At the end circulatory system; and
of the
lesson, you determine the
should be 2 composition of the
able to: blood.
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Circulatory System
• The major system responsible for the distribution and
pumping of the blood.
• The components that serve as the transportation in the
human body are composed of the blood, the blood vessels,
and the heart.
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Composition of Blood
• An average person has four to six liters of blood.
• Blood is responsible for transporting materials and for
immune defense.
• The major components of blood can be divided into the
extracellular fluid and the formed elements.
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Extracellular Fluid
Plasma
• Plasma is the fluid part
of blood.
• It holds the blood cells
in suspension and
makes up 55% of the
blood’s volume.
Components of blood.
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Formed Elements
Red Blood Cells
• It is the most
abundant cells in the
blood.
• Nearly 40% of the
blood's volume is red
blood cells.
Components of blood.
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Formed Elements
Red Blood Cells
• It takes oxygen in the
lungs and deliver it to
the tissues.
• It also transports
carbon dioxide to the
lungs.
Components of blood.
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Formed Elements
White Blood Cells
• Immunity cells
involved in protecting
the body against
infectious agents and
foreign bodies.
Components of blood.
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Formed Elements
Types of White Blood
Cells
• Neutrophils respond
to bacterial and fungal
infections.
• Basophils aid in
allergic reaction.
Components of blood.
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Formed Elements
Types of White Blood
Cells
• Eosinophils help in
controlling parasitic
infection and allergic
reaction.
Components of blood.
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Formed Elements
Types of White Blood
Cells
• Lymphocytes are for
viral infection and
adaptive immunity.
Components of blood.
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Formed Elements
Types of White Blood
Cells
• Monocytes are for
chronic infections and
part of the innate
immunity.
Components of blood.
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Formed Elements
Platelets
• Help in clotting of
blood to stop
bleeding.
• Aggregates on the
injured portion of the
blood vessel.
Components of blood.
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The Heart
• The heart is composed of
strong cardiac muscle
tissues that continuously
contract and relax to
pump blood all
throughout the body
Heart
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The Heart
• It has four major chambers:
two atria and two ventricles.
• These chambers highly
coordinate in pumping blood
that must deliver O2 to the
tissues and take CO2 for
disposal.
Heart
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Types of Blood Vessels
Types of blood vessels
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Types of Blood Vessels
• Arteries - deliver oxygen-rich blood to the cells, away from
the heart. As arteries penetrate the organs, they decrease in
diameter and become arterioles.
• Veins - return oxygen-poor blood from the cells back to the
heart. As the veins go inward the organs, they decrease in
diameter and become venules.
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Types of Blood Vessels
• Capillaries are small blood vessels that connect arteries
and veins.
• These can penetrate the inner portion of different
organs and facilitate the transfer of oxygen, carbon dioxide,
and dissolved substances in and out of your blood.
Key Points
The circulatory system transports nutrients, gases,
1 and molecules to and from the different parts of the
body.
The circulatory system of the human body is
2 composed of blood, the blood vessels, and the heart.
2
The blood is composed of the plasma, red blood
3 cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Key Points
Three basic types of blood vessels are the arteries,
4 veins, and capillaries.
2 The heart plays a vital role in pumping blood
5 throughout the body.
2
Check Your Understanding
Label the parts of the heart.
Challenge Yourself
If one would use a
centrifuge for a blood
sample, how are the
different compositions of
the blood be separated?
What will be its result? Why
would one get this type of
result?
Bibliography
Johnson, G.B., and Raven, P.H. 2001. Biology: Principles & Explorations. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and
Winston.
Mader, S.S. 2014. Concepts of Biology. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
McLaughlin, D.P., Stamford, J.A., and David A. 2007. Human Physiology. London: Routledge.
Reece, J.B. and Campbell, N.A. 2011. Campbell Biology. Boston: Benjamin Cummings/Pearson.
Riddel, Jennifer. 2012. Your Body's Systems. Pdf. Open School BC.
Weller, A. 2011. Human Anatomy. New York: Dover.
