The circulatory system is responsible for transporting blood, oxygen, nutrients, and wastes throughout the body. The vessels of the circulatory system include arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins. The heart is responsible for pumping the fluids of the circulatory system through these vessels, and is a major component of the circulatory system.

The respiratory system is responsible for transporting air to and from the lungs, and facilitates gas exchange with the capillaries of the circulatory system. The lymphatic system helps regulate fluid balance and immune system function; it consists of lymphatic vessels, the spleen, and the thymus. The digestive system breaks down and absorbs nutrients; it consists of the digestive tract from the mouth, through the stomach and small intestine, and to the rectum.

The heart is able to pump independently of the brain thanks to a collection of cells that fire impulses automatically. These cells are located in the sinoatrial node, which leads to the node's nickname as the "pacemaker" of the heart. Even without stimulation by a nerve, the heart can continue beating.

The heart is made of cardiac muscle tissue; smooth muscle tissue lines internal organs and blood vessels. Both sides of the heart pump at the same rate, but the left side pumps with more force. Each side of the heart must pump the same volume, but the left side must pump it a greater distance since it pushes blood to the entire body. A normal resting heart rate is around 60-80 beats per minute. A heart rate of 120 would be more typical during exercise.

The respiratory system allows air to travel to the lungs. Air enters the mouth or nasal passages, travels through the trachea, and then into the bronchi. The bronchi split into smaller and smaller bronchioles before terminating in small sacs called alveoli.

The aorta is a major artery that carries blood away from the heart. The urethra carries urine from the bladder. The small intestine is a portion of the digestive tract that carries nutrients from the stomach to the large intestine.

Blood is composed of multiple cell types that have specific functions in the body. The red blood cells (erythrocytes) help carry oxygen to the tissues in the body. The white blood cells (leukocytes) help defend the body from bacteria and other illnesses. Platelets are cell fragments responsible for helping blood clot, and are created by megakaryocytes.

The heart has four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. The atria are responsible for receiving blood returning from the body, while the ventricles pump blood out of the heart. The right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs, while the left ventricle pumps blood to the rest of the body.

The flow of blood through the heart is: right atrium, right ventricle, lungs, left atrium, left ventricle, body.

Arteries are the high pressure blood vessels responsible for carrying blood away from the heart. All arteries in the body travel away from the heart toward other tissues.

Most arteries carry oxygenated blood, but the pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood; these vessels are responsible for transporting deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. Veins are responsible for returning blood back to the heart. Arteries do not allow for diffusion of nutrients; this process primarily occurs in capillaries.