Help with Other Circulatory Physiology - Anatomy

Factors that affect blood pressure include: cardiac output, blood volume (approximately 5 liters for the average adult), blood viscosity, and peripheral resistance. Blood type (A, AB, B, O) plays no role in a person's blood pressure.

In addition to transporting steroids and some fats, albumin is also responsible for maintaining the osmotic pressure of the blood. It is the most abundant protein in the plasma and helps to draw water back into the lumen of the blood vessels.

Fibrinogen is the zymogen of fibrin, an essential clotting protein. Immunoglobulins, also called antibodies, help detect pathogens and tag them for destruction. Hemoglobin is found within erythrocytes and serves to transport oxygen. Vasopressin is not a blood protein; it is a peptide hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland. Vasopressin acts on the kidney to increase the hydrostatic pressure of the blood by retaining water, but does not affect the osmotic pressure of the blood in a significant way.

Oxygen-poor blood returns from the body through the superior and inferior venae cavae, which load blood into the right atrium. Blood then flows into the right ventricle, and oxygen-poor blood is pumped through the pulmonary arteries into the lungs, where blood becomes oxygenated. From the lungs, blood returns to the left side of the heart through the pulmonary veins into the left atrium. Remember, regardless of whether blood is oxygen-rich or oxygen-poor, all arteries carry blood away from the heart, and veins deliver blood back to the heart.

The systemic circulation is the part of the cardiovascular system that pumps oxygenated blood from the left ventricle out to the rest of the body to all the tissues that need blood, including the brain, kidney, heart, and lungs. Though the lungs are part of the pulmonary circuit, involved in gas exchange, the cells of the lungs also need blood. There are alveolar cells, macrophages, and connective tissue cells that need blood for metabolism. Also, the myocardium, needs blood (and oxygen) too since it is continuously using lots of ATP to generate contractile force.

During ventricular contraction, both atrioventricular valves (the mitral and tricuspid valve) should be closed in order to prevent backflow of blood into the atria. The papillary muscles and chordae tendinae must both be tense in order to keep this valve closed.

The correct composition of a red blood cell membrane is 18% protein, 79% lipid, and 3% carbohydrate. A myelin membrane around nerve cells is 76% protein and 24% lipid and an inner mitochondiral membrane is 80% protein, 17% lipid, and 4% carbohydrate.

Plasma is not a formed element of blood. Plasma is the extracellular matrix of blood. Platelets are small fragments of cells that assist clotting. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cells, as are monocytes. Red blood cells are the other formed element found in blood.

Erythrocytes are also known as red blood cells. White blood cells come in a variety of types such as lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils, and basophils. Platelets are small fragments of cells that assist clotting. The extracellular matrix of blood is plasma.

Eosinophils are white blood cells that are involved in fighting parasitic infections. Basophils cause inflammation when their histamine-containing granules are released. Neutrophils contain granules that are used to kill infectious organisms. The only type of red blood cell is an erythrocyte. Note that eosinophils, basophils, and neutrophils are named after the types of stains for which they show preferential affinity (eosinophils have a high affinity for the stain eosin, basophils are best seen when stained with a basic dye, and neutrophils are best seen when stained with a neutral dye).

The left and right coronary arteries branch from the aortic root. This is the portion of the aorta just beyond the aortic valve. Since these arteries supply the heart and the heart must supply the rest of the body, it makes sense for the heart to have top priority.

The ascending aorta just after the aortic root, but before the aortic arch, is the only part of the aorta without branching. The pulmonary artery takes blood to the lungs to be oxygenated. The descending aorta has numerous branches supplying the spinal cord and the rest of the body.

Increasing shifts the curve to the right. Increasing pH and decreasing shift the curve to the left. Other conditions that lead to a right-shift in the oxyhemoglobin curve are: increased temperature and increased concentration of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate. These conditions stabilize the deoxygenated form of hemoglobin, facilitating the dissociation of oxygen to the tissues.

Blood flows along the following course: from the lungs to the left atrium (LA) via the pulmonary vein. From the LA to the left ventricle (LV) through the mitral valve. From the LV to the aorta through the aortic valve. From the aorta to the systemic arteries and systemic tissues (i.e., cerebral, renal, skeletal muscle, etc). It travels from the tissues to the systemic veins and vena cava. From the vena cava to the right atrium (RA). From the RA to the right ventricle via the tricuspid valve. From the RV to the pulmonary artery through the pulmonic valve. From the pulmonary artery to the lungs for oxygenation.

A single drop of blood typically contains about 250 million red blood cells, and about fifty thousand white blood cells. Platelets are also present in drops of blood, but their numbers can vary from 150,000-450,000.

Portal circulation is found in the gut and liver, it features vessels that carry nutrient rich blood from the gut to the liver for processing. Systemic circulation is between the heart and the tissues of the body. Pulmonary circulation is between the heart and the lungs. There is no special name for circulation of the mouth and head. The other portal circulation is found in the brain - between the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.

The lymphatic system drains excess tissue fluid as well as fights infections. The renal system is responsible for excretion and reabsorption. The circulatory system is responsible for the transportation of oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

The superficial temporal artery supplies the sides and top of the head, it runs just in front of the ear. The internal carotid artery supplies the brain and eyes. The facial artery supplies the cheeks, lips, and nose. The maxillary artery supplies the mouth and nose.

The maxillary artery supplies the mouth and nose. The facial artery supplies the cheeks, lips and nose. The internal carotid artery supplies the brain and eyes. The superficial temporal artery supplies the sides and top of the head.

Erythrocytes, or red blood cells, are responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and are also involved in carbon dioxide transport. Monocytes are a class of white blood cells which may become tissues macrophages, produce dendritic cells, or generate osteoclasts. Platelets are cell fragments which play an important role in blood clotting and plugging holes in damaged blood vessels. B-lymphocytes are a type of lymphocyte that produces antibodies. T-lymphocytes are a type of lymphocyte that regulate the activity of other cells and kill virus-infected cells.

The confluence of sinuses connects the superior sagittal sinus, straight sinus, and occipital sinus. Blood in the confluence of sinuses drains into the left and right transverse sinuses. From the transverse sinus blood drains to the sigmoid sinus, which ultimately drains into the internal jugular vein.

Hemoglobin is the protein found in red blood cells that contains an iron-containing organic molecule called a heme attached to a protein called a globin. Fibrinogen is a glycoprotein found in the blood that plays a role in the formation of blood clots. Platelets are a component of blood (fragments of larger cells, megakaroyctes) that also play an important role in clotting blood. Plasma is a component of whole blood. Whole blood consists of red and white cells and plasma suspended in a fluid called plasma. Complement is a protein that plays a role in the immune response.