Human Organ Systems Circulatory, Respiratory, Digestive
The Circulatory System The circulatory system picks up and transports nutrients and oxygen to all the cells in the body, and carries wastes to the organs responsible for eliminating them from the body. The circulatory system is also involved in the immune system and protecting your body from pathogens There are 3 main parts to the circulatory system: Heart, Blood vessels Blood
Circulatory System
The Heart An organ composed mainly of cardiac muscle tissue that acts as a dual pump. Has four chambers: Atria (plural, atrium singular) both left and right accept blood from the body into the heart and pump blood into the Ventricles also left and right. The left ventricle receives blood from the left atrium and pumps blood to the body. The right ventricle receives blood from the right atrium and pumps blood to the lungs.
Between each of the chambers are valves. Valves allow blood to flow in only one direction. The lub dub sound heard with a stethoscope is made by the valves.
Blood Vessels Arteries = carry blood away from the heart Arterioles Veins = return blood to the heart Venules Capillaries = network or bed of thin walled vessels between arteries and veins where exchange and diffusion occurs
Arteries Arteries mostly carry oxygenated blood. *Exception Arteries are thick walled and elastic to handle the pressurized flow. The largest artery is the aorta, that leaves the heart Arteries branch into smaller arterioles, and even smaller capillaries.
Veins After leaving the capillaries, the blood is deoxgenated Blood is carried back to the heart through small venules which turn into larger veins. Veins are thinner walled because blood pressure is lower, and they have valves to help blood return to the heart. Blood returns to the heart through major veins; the superior vena cava and inferior vena cava.
Components of Blood Blood transports materials around the body. The average person has 5L of blood of which 55% is plasma, a straw coloured liquid containing dissolved minerals, and nutrients. The 40 to 50% of the blood volume is red blood cells (RBC) or erythrocytes 1% of blood volume is white blood cells (WBC) or leukocytes The remainder of blood is composed of platelets or thrombocytes.
Red blood cells carry oxygen in a protein called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is what causes RBC to appear red. The RBC lack nuclei, so they cannot reproduce, but they are made in bone marrow. White blood cells fight infection, and there are may types of WBC all of which are larger and more distinct looking than RBC Platelets are cell fragments without nuclei that work with blood clotting chemicals at the site of wounds
Problems with Circulatory System The most common causes of heart disease are hypertension (high blood pressure) and arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis is the thickening of the walls of the arteries. These can cause formation of a blood clot. If a clot breaks free, it may flow to a coronary artery and block a blood vessel, causing a heart attack. If the blood clot stops blood flow to the brain it is called a stroke. An angioplasty is shown.
Respiratory System Purpose: gas exchange. Bringing oxygen (O 2 ) into the body, and removing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The respiratory system is interconnected with the circulatory system.
Structure The main structure, the lungs are connected to the outside by passageways. Air enters through the mouth and nose, and travels down the trachea. The trachea separates into two branches called bronchi (singular bronchus) The lining of the trachea and bronchi produce mucus, and many of the epithelial cells have cilia (hairlike projections). The cilia and mucus filter out any foreign material that might enter the system.
The trachea is supported by rings of cartilage, keeping it open. Each bronchus further splits into smaller branches called bronchioles, and these branches end in tiny air sacs called alveoli (singular alveolus). Oxygen enters the bloodstream in the lungs by diffusion, and carbon dioxide leaves in the same way. Alveoli have very thin walls, and are surrounded by a network of capillaries. Oxygen and carbon dioxide only have to diffuse through two thin walls.
The blood that enters the lungs has little oxygen. As the blood flows through the lungs it picks up oxygen and the blood returns to the heart. At the same time, excess carbon dioxide diffuses out of the blood, into the airspaces of the alveoli.
The respiratory system involves the process called breathing, which involves moving air into and out of the lungs. This process involves the muscles that move the ribs, making the ribcage expand and contract, and a large sheet of muscle under the lungs, called the diaphragm. Together the diaphragm and muscles of the ribs increase or decrease the volume of the lungs. As the volume changes, the pressure also changes. In this way fresh air flows into and out of the alveoli.
Control over our breathing is involuntary; we do not generally have to think about breathing. We can override the involuntary system and stop breathing, but this control is only temporary. Control of breathing occurs in part of your brain and detects carbon dioxide levels in the blood. As the CO 2 level increases the brain sends signals to increase breathing rate, and heart rate. This decreases the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood, and also increases available oxygen.
Digestive system Purpose: To mechanically and chemically break down food to nutrient molecules that are absorbed and used throughout the body.
What are the major nutrients in our diet? Brainstorm. Carbohydrates glucose Fats, lipids fatty acids Proteins amino acids *Nucleic acids nucleotides What are the micronutrients? Brainstorm. Vitamins and minerals
There are 4 main jobs within the digestive system: Ingestion: taking in food Digestion: mechanical and chemical breakdown Absorption: nutrients pass into bloodstream Elimination: removal of wastes.
The four stages of food processing Small molecules Pieces of food Mechanical digestion Chemical digestion (enzymatic hydrolysis) Nutrient molecules enter body cells Food Undigested material 1 INGESTION 2 DIGESTION 3 ABSORPTION 4 ELIMINATION Figure 41.12
Human Digestive System Human digestive system is basically one long tube, and various accessory glands that secrete digestive juices through ducts.
Fig. 41-10b Mouth Salivary glands Esophagus Gallbladder Stomach Liver Pancreas Small intestine Large intestine Rectum Anus A schematic diagram of the human digestive system
Oral Cavity, Pharynx and Esophagus Digestion begins in the mouth with mechanical digestion by teeth which chew food into smaller particles. Salivary glands release saliva into the mouth to lubricate food. Saliva also contains an enzyme amylase, which chemically breaks down starch into sugars. The tongue shapes food into a bolus that is swallowed.
Pharynx and Esophagus As food is swallowed it makes its way to the pharynx, a junction that opens to both the esophagus and the trachea. The esophagus moves food from the pharynx down to the stomach by peristalsis. Peristalsis is the rhythmic movement of the smooth muscle surrounding the digestive tract. Swallowing causes the epiglottis to block entry to the trachea.
Fig. 41-11-3 Food Food Tongue Pharynx Glottis Larynx Trachea To lungs Epiglottis up Esophageal sphincter contracted Esophagus To stomach Glottis up and closed Epiglottis down Epiglottis down Esophageal sphincter relaxed Glottis down and open Relaxed muscles Relaxed muscles Relaxed muscles Relaxed muscles Epiglottis up Esophageal sphincter contracted Contracted muscles Contracted muscles Sphincter relaxed Peristalsis Stomach
Stomach The stomach stores food and secretes gastric juice. Gastric juice is made up of hydrochloric acid and an enzyme called pepsin. The stomach also secretes mucus which protects the stomach lining from gastric juice.
Coordinated contraction and relaxation of stomach muscle churn the stomach s contents. Sphincters, rings of muscle, prevent materials from entering the esophagus, and regulate entry into the small intestine.
Small Intestine: first section The small intestine is the longest section of the digestive tract. It is the major organ of digestion and absorption. The small intestine is broken into three sections. In the first section, the acidic material from the stomach mixes with digestive juices from the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and the small intestine itself.
Pancreas The pancreas produces enzymes that break apart carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. The pancreas also releases a basic solution to neutralize the acidic materials entering from the stomach.
Liver & Gallbladder In the small intestine, bile helps with the digestion of fats. Bile acts as an emulsifier that allows fats to better mix with the watery enzymes. Bile is made in the liver, and is stored until needed in the gallbladder.
Small intestine: second and third sections The second and third sections of the small intestine have a huge surface area due to villi and microvilli. This great amount of surface area increases the rate of nutrient absorption. Each villus contains a network of blood vessels. The capillaries and venules come together in the vein that leads to the liver, and then on to the heart.
Fig. 41-15 Vein carrying blood to hepatic portal vein Microvilli (brush border) at apical (lumenal) surface Lumen Blood capillaries Muscle layers Villi Epithelial cells Large circular folds Basal surface Lacteal Epithelial cells Key Nutrient absorption Intestinal wall Villi Lymph vessel
The colon or large intestine connects to the small intestine. A major function of the colon is to recover water that has entered the digestive tract. Wastes of the digestive tract, the feces, become more solid as they move through the colon. The colon contains many bacteria including E. coli, which produces some vitamins. Feces are stored in the rectum until they are eliminated through the anus.
Fig. 41-10a Tongue Salivary glands Oral cavity Pharynx Esophagus Sphincter Liver Sphincter Stomach Ascending portion of large intestine Gallbladder Pancreas Duodenum of small intestine Small intestine Appendix Rectum Small intestine Large intestine Anus Cecum