The airways are pipes that carry oxygen-rich air to the alveoli in your lungs. They also carry the waste gas carbon dioxide out of your lungs. The airways include these body parts: Show
Air comes into your bodyAir first enters your body through your nose or mouth, which moistens and warms the air since cold, dry air can irritate your lungs. The air then travels past your voice box and down your windpipe. Rings of tough tissue, called cartilage, acts as a support to keep the bronchial tubes open. Inside your lungs, the bronchial tubes branch into thousands of thinner tubes called bronchioles. The bronchioles end in clusters of tiny air sacs called alveoli. Air fills your lung’s air sacsYour lungs have about 150 million alveoli. Normally, your alveoli are elastic, meaning that their size and shape can change easily. Alveoli are able to easily expand and contract because their insides are coated with a substance called surfactant. Surfactant reduces the work it takes to breathe by helping the lungs inflate more easily when you breathe in. It also prevents the lungs from collapsing when you breathe out. Each of these alveoli is made up of a mesh of tiny blood vessels called capillaries. The capillaries connect to a network of arteries and veins that move blood through your body. Blood low in oxygen flows through the lungsThe pulmonary artery and its branches deliver blood to the capillaries that surround the alveoli. This blood is rich in carbon dioxide and low in oxygen. Oxygen flows into your bloodCarbon dioxide moves from the blood into the air inside the alveoli. At the same time, oxygen moves from the air into the blood in the capillaries. OverviewWhat is the circulatory system?Your heart and blood vessels make up the circulatory system. The main function of the circulatory system is to provide oxygen, nutrients and hormones to muscles, tissues and organs throughout your body. Another part of the circulatory system is to remove waste from cells and organs so your body can dispose of it. Your heart pumps blood to the body through a network of arteries and veins (blood vessels). Your circulatory system can also be defined as your cardiovascular system. Cardio means heart, and vascular refers to blood vessels. The circulatory system provides blood to all the body's tissues so they can function. FunctionWhat does the circulatory system do?The circulatory system’s function is to move blood throughout the body. This blood circulation keeps organs, muscles and tissues healthy and working to keep you alive. The circulatory system also helps your body get rid of waste products. This waste includes:
How does the circulatory system work?Your circulatory system functions with the help of blood vessels that include arteries, veins and capillaries. These blood vessels work with your heart and lungs to continuously circulate blood through your body. Here’s how:
AnatomyWhat are the circulatory system parts?The parts of your circulatory system are your:
What are the circulatory system circuits?Your circulatory system has three circuits. Blood circulates through your heart and through these circuits in a continuous pattern:
What are the types of blood vessels?There are three main types of blood vessels:
What are the circulatory system organs?Your heart is the only circulatory system organ. Blood goes from the heart to the lungs to get oxygen. The lungs are part of the respiratory system. Your heart then pumps oxygenated blood through arteries to the rest of the body. Conditions and DisordersWhat conditions affect the circulatory system?Many conditions can affect the health of your circulatory system, including:
CareHow can I prevent circulatory system problems?These steps can protect the health of your circulatory system:
Frequently Asked QuestionsHow big is the circulatory system?Your body has more than 60,000 miles of blood vessels that circulate about 1.5 gallons of blood every day. What is red blood and blue blood?All blood is red. Hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein in red blood cells, mixes with oxygen to give blood its red color. Blood that’s rich in oxygen is known as red blood. Your veins carry oxygen-poor blood. This is sometimes called blue blood because your veins can look blue underneath the skin. The blood is actually red, but the low oxygen levels give veins a bluish hue. Do arteries always carry oxygenated blood?For the most part, yes. The exceptions are pulmonary arteries and veins. Pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood to the lungs. Pulmonary veins return the oxygenated blood to the heart. A note from Cleveland Clinic Your circulatory system plays a critical role in keeping you alive. Blood vessels carry blood to the lungs for oxygen. Then your heart pumps oxygen-rich blood through arteries to the rest of the body. Your veins help your body get rid of waste products. Conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and atherosclerosis can affect the health of your circulatory system. If you have one of these conditions, talk to your healthcare provider about steps you can take to protect your cardiovascular health. How the respiratory system and circulatory system work together to supply the body with oxygen?Your heart is the only circulatory system organ. Blood goes from the heart to the lungs to get oxygen. The lungs are part of the respiratory system. Your heart then pumps oxygenated blood through arteries to the rest of the body.
How does the respiratory system and circulatory system work together to apply the body with oxygen and to remove carbon dioxide from the body?The circulatory and respiratory systems work together to circulate blood and oxygen throughout the body. Air moves in and out of the lungs through the trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles. Blood moves in and out of the lungs through the pulmonary arteries and veins that connect to the heart.
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