Cardiovascular System

The cardiovascular system is responsible for transporting nutrients and removing gaseous waste from the body. This system is comprised of the heart and the circulatory system. Structures of the cardiovascular system include the heart, blood vessels, and blood. The lymphatic system is also closely associated with the cardiovascular system.

Structures of the Cardiovascular System

• Heart
  
  The heart is the organ that supplies blood and oxygen to all parts of the body. This amazing muscle produces electrical impulses through a process called cardiac conduction. These impulses cause the heart to contract and then relax, producing what is known as a heart beat. The beating of the heart drives the cardiac cycle which pumps blood to cells and tissues of the body.
  
• Blood Vessels
  
  Blood vessels are intricate networks of hollow tubes that transport blood throughout the entire body. Blood travels from the heart via arteries to smaller arterioles, then to capillaries or sinusoids, to venules, to veins and back to the heart. Through the process of microcirculation, substances such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and wastes are exchanged between the blood and the fluid that surrounds cells.
  
• Blood
  
  The blood delivers nutrients to cells and removes wastes that are produced during cellular processes, such as cellular respiration. The blood is composed of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma.

The lymphatic system works closely with other body systems such as the immune system and the cardiovascular system. Lymphatic structures filter blood removing microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, as well as cellular debris and waste. Once filtered, the blood is returned to the circulatory system. Lymph fluid, also called interstitial fluid, bathes tissues and helps to deliver nutrients and oxygen to cells.