Ch.

6: The Cardiovascular System

(text pp. 125-141) Human Biology (BIOL100)

http://www.biol.andrews.edu/anat/hb/heart.html

Now that we have completed our study of the blood in Chapter 5 we are prepared to explore the Cardiovascular System presented in Chapter 6. The heart and the blood vessels are the structures of the Cardiovascular System and together these organs allow for the continuous circulation of blood as it transports substances throughout the body: 1) atoms. 2) molecules. 3) cell organelles. 4) cells. 5) tissues. 6) organs. 7) organ systems: a. The Digestive System. b. The Cardiovascular System.

I. The Blood Vessels A. The Two Circulatory Routes The blood vessels form two closed and highly branched circulatory routes in which blood moves in one direction:
R+L heart ventricles ---> arteries ---> arterioles ---> capillaries ---> venules ---> veins ---> R+L heart atria

The two circulatory routes are: 1) Pulmonary Circulation: lungs 2 pulmonary arteries transport deoxygenated blood from R ventricle to lungs. 4 pulmonary veins transport oxygenated blood from lungs to L atrium. 2) Systemic Circulation: all tissues/organs excluding the lungs aorta and its branches transports oxygenated blood from L ventricle to tissues/organs.vena cava transports deoxygenated blood from tissues/organs to R atrium.

B. Types of Blood Vessels (fig. 6.2) 1) Arteries and Arterioles: These blood vessels transport blood away from the heart towards the capillary beds of the tissues/organs. Have thick, elastic walls to withstand the high blood pressure created by the pumping action of the heart. 2) Capillaries: These blood vessels are microscopic, their walls consisting of simple squamous epithelial cells with gaps inbetween them. Capillaries are the blood vessels in which substances transported by the blood are exchanged with the surrounding tissue cells. 3) Veins and Venules: These blood vessels transport blood from the capillary beds of the tissues/organs back to the heart. Have thin, elastic walls and may contain valves. All blood vessels other than the capillaries have a layer of smooth muscle in their walls which allow them to vasodilate and vasoconstrict in order to regulate the volume of blood flowing to the capillary beds of the tissues/organs they serve.

II. The Heart A. Location and Structure of the Heart (fig. 6.5) The heart is located within the thoracic cavity in a space called the mediastinum. It is surrounded by the pericardial membrane containing pericardial fluid. The wall of the heart is composed mainly of cardiac muscle fibers forming a tissue called cardiac muscle or myocardium. The heart has an apex and a base. 1) 4 chambers: a. R and L atria. b. R and L ventricles. 2) 4 valves: a. R (tricuspid) and L (bicuspid) atrioventricular (AV) valves. Located at the entrances of the ventricles. b. R (pulmonary) and L (aortic) semilunar valves. Located at the exits of the ventricles. 3) 4 blood vessels: a. inferior/superior vena cava. b. pulmonary trunk. c. pulmonary veins. d. aorta.

B. The Cardiac Cycle (fig. 6.6) 1) The heart has a 2-step pumping action: a. atrial systole: R and L atria contract simultaneously, forcing blood into the R and L ventricles. b. ventricular systole: R and L ventricles contract simultaneously, forcing blood into the pulmonary trunk (pulmonary circulation) and aorta (systemic circulation). Timeline for one cardiac cycle at rest:
(assuming heart rate of 70 contractions/min. = 0.85 sec per cycle)

0.15 sec= atrial systole (ventricular diastole). 0.30 sec= ventricular systole (atrial diastole). 0.40 sec= atrial diastole (total 0.7 sec) and ventricular diastole (total 0.55 sec). 2) Heart Sounds: a. First heart sound = closing of the AV valves at the beginning of ventricular systole. b. Second heart sound = closing of the semilunar valves at the end of ventricular systole. C. The Route of Blood Flow Through the Heart (figs. 6.5 and 6.6) The structure and pattern of contraction of the heart result in a particular route that blood must follow. Study the Passage of Blood Flow Through the Heart on p. 129 of your text. D. The Regulation of the Cardiac Cycle (fig. 6.7) Cardiac Output (CO) is the volume of blood pumped out of the heart per minute. Average CO at rest = 5 L/min. Since the metabolic needs of certain cells will vary depending on our behavior (eg. rest vs. exercise), the volume of blood entering the capillaries of a specific tissue/organ (eg. skeletal muscle) must be adjusted by regulation. 2 factors influence the volume of blood entering the capillaries of a specific tissue/organ and are regulated by nervous signals and hormones from the Central Nervous System (CNS - brain and spinal cord): 1) Cardiac Output - 5 L/min at rest up to 25 L/min with vigorous exercise. CO increases with increased rate of cardiac cycle. 2) Vasoconstriction/Vasodilation of arteries and arterioles. This section describes the intrinsic and extrinsic regulation of Cardiac Output (CO): A. Intrinsic Regulation of CO Cardiac muscle fibers contract (systole) in response to an electrochemical signal called depolarization and relax (diastole) in response to an electrochemical signal called repolarization.

1) The origin of cardiac muscle depolarization is in the sinoatrial (SA) node located in the upper R atrium. a. SA node depolarization results in atrial depolarization and therefore atrial systole. b. The SA node intrinsically depolarizes about 70 times per minute, resulting in 70 contractions per minute (resting heart rate). 2) The atrioventricular (AV) node is located in the lower R atrium. Its function is to slow down the spread of atrial depolarization before it spreads to the ventricals. a. AV node depolarization results in ventricular depolarization and therefore ventricular systole. 3) The repolarization of atrial and ventricular cardiac muscle results in diastole. Timeline for one cardiac cycle at rest:
(assuming heart rate of 70 contractions/min. = 0.85 sec per cycle)

0.15 sec= atrial systole (ventricular diastole). 0.30 sec= ventricular systole (atrial diastole). 0.40 sec= atrial diastole (total 0.7 sec) and ventricular diastole (total 0.55 sec). B. Extrinsic Regulation of CO Extrinsic regulation of Cardiac Output (CO) is conducted by the cardiac control center of the medulla oblongata (hindbrain). By means of nerve connections it influences the rate of SA node depolarization and thus the rate of the cardiac cycle: 1) Parasympathetic neurons - slow down rate of cardiac cycle. 2) Sympathetic neurons - increase rate of cardiac cycle. E. The Electrocardiogram (ECG) (fig. 6.7) An electrocardiograph can detect the faint electrical signals created by cardiac muscle depolarization/repolarization and displays this information as an ECG: P peak = atrial depolarization. QRS complex = ventricular depolarization / atrial repolarization. T peak = ventricular repolarization. III. Features of the Cardiovascular System 1) Pulse The surge of blood entering the arteries following ventricular systole causes their elastic walls to stretch and then recoil. This is felt as a pulse (radial and carotid arteries). 2) Blood Pressure Blood pressure is formed due to the pumping action of the heart and is recorded as a resting arterial systolic (120 mmHg) and diastolic (80 mmHg) pressure.Blood pressure drops with distance from the heart.