Anatomy Overview
THE CIRCULATORY AND LYMPHATIC
SYSTEMS
Circulatory System
The circulatory system may be thought
of as a complex transportation system,
bringing nourishment and oxygen to the
cells and carrying away waste products.
 This closed system is kept in motion by
the heart.
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Diseases that interfere
with any part of the
system affect it’s overall
function.
The heart, blood vessels
and blood make up the
circulatory system,
sometimes called Cardio
Vascular system.
The Heart

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The heart is a muscular,
hollow organ and is
divided into a right and
left side by a muscular
wall called the septum.
It is further divided into
four chambers; the
upper chambers are
atriums, the lower
chambers are called
ventricles.
The Heart

There are three
layers in the
structure of the
heart; the inside
layer is the
endocardium.
the middle layer, made up of cardiac
muscle cells is the thickest layer and is
called the myocardium.
 The pericardium is a membranous outer
layer.

The Heart
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The right atrium receives blood from
body cells via a large vein. The blood
entering the right atrium has a low
oxygen content.
The Heart
The blood then flows into the right
ventricle which sends it to the lungs.
 In the lungs, oxygen and carbon dioxide
are exchanged.

The Heart
Blood is then sent to the left atrium which
drains through the mitral valve into the left
ventricle.
 The left ventricle, the most muscular part of
the heart, pumps blood to the aorta, to begin
the delivery to body cells.
 One way valves between the heart chambers
keep the blood flowing in the right direction.
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The Heart
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An electrical impulse located in the
myocardium controls the rheumatic
contraction and relaxation of the heart.
Blood Vessels

There are three types of blood vessels
serving as tubes to carry the blood.
They are the arteries, veins, and
capillaries.
Blood Vessels
Arteries carry blood away from the
heart, that have muscular, elastic walls
with smooth linings and carry blood
with high concentrations of nutrients
and oxygen.
 Arteries branch to form arteriloes which
then branch to form capillaries.
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Blood Vessels
Veins are tubes that carry blood toward
the heart. They have thinner muscular
walls and some veins have cup-like
valves which prevent the backflow of
the blood.
 Veins form from venules which connect
to capillaries.
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Blood Vessels
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Capillaries have very thin walls, only
one cell thick, and are the site of the
exchange of nutrients, oxygen, carbon
dioxide, and waste products from the
blood to the body cells.
Blood
The human body contains 4-6 quarts of
blood composed of red blood cells,
white blood cells, platelets, and plasma.
 The Red Cells called erythrocytes carry
most of the oxygen in a protein called

Hemoglobin.
Blood consists of:

There are four to
five million red blood
cells per millimeter
of blood giving the
blood it’s red color.
Blood consists of:

White blood cells
called leukocytes
number about 5-9
thousand per
millimeter.
 There are different
types of leukocytes
whose main function
is to fight infection
in the body.
Blood consists of:
Platelets, also called
thrombocytes are
only parts of cells
and vary in shape
and size.
 Platelets seal small
leaks in blood
vessels and begin
the blood clotting

process.
Plasma
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Plasma is about 90%
water. In this solution
many substances are
suspended.
Plasma contains
antibodies, nutrients,
gases, and proteins for
clotting and waste
products.
Anatomy Overview
The Lymphatic System

This system works
with the circulatory
system to remove
waste products and
excess fluid from
tissues.
The lymphatic
system consists of
lymph, lymph
vessels, lymph
nodes and lymphatic
tissue.
 Lymph is a thin
watery liquid that
surrounds body cells
and tissues.
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Small open ended
vessels which serve
as drain pipes pick
up the lymph
throughout the body
and are called lymph
vessels.
Lymph
The lymph vessels
drain the liquid into
lymph nodes which
are masses located
at various parts of
the body.
 The lymph nodes
filter the lymph and
remove impurities.
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Lymph
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Some types of white
blood cells and
antibodies are formed in
the lymph nodes.
This purifies lymph with
new white cells and
antibodies leave the
lymph nodes and enter
the blood stream.
Pathology
Diseases of the circulatory
system
Diseases
Congenital disorders
 Endocarditis,
pericarditis,
rheumatic fever may
affect damage heart
valves.
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Diseases and conditions
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Myocardial
Infarction, Heart
Attack, is caused by
a blockage in the
arteries which
supply the heart
with blood, causing
damage to the heart
muscle.
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Anemia is an
abnormally low
count of red blood
cells. People who
are anemic often are
pale, and tired all
the time, due to the
decrease of oxygen.
Aneurysms are a
weakened area of
an artery which may
rupture and cause
severe bleeding.
(hemorrhage)
 Sudden bursting of
an aneurysm usually
results in sudden
death.
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Conditions:
Hypertension is high blood pressure
often due to thickening or fatty deposits
in the walls of the arteries.
 Thrombosis is the formation of clot. If a
clot breaks loose, it’s called an
embolism.
 Phlebitis is the inflammation of a vein.
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Conditions:
Hemophilia is an inherited disease
causing failure of the blood to clot.
 CVA is a Cerebral Vascular Attack,
commonly known as a stroke, caused
by an interruption of the blood
circulation in the brain.
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