Anatomy and Chemistry Basics
The Cardiovascular System
Knowing the functions of the cardiovascular system and the parts of the body that are part of it are critical in understanding the physiology of the human body. The cardiovascular system is the system that keeps life pumping through you with its complex pathways of veins, arteries, and capillaries. The heart, blood vessels, and blood help to transport vital nutrients throughout the body as well as remove metabolic waste. They help to protect the body and regulate body temperature.
The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, blood vessels, and blood. This system has three main functions:
-
Transport of nutrients, oxygen, and hormones to cells throughout the body and removal of metabolic wastes (carbon dioxide, nitrogenous wastes, and heat).
-
Protection of the body by white blood cells, antibodies, and complement proteins that circulate in the blood and defend the body against foreign microbes and toxins. Clotting mechanisms are also present that protect the body from blood loss after injuries.
-
Regulation of body temperature, fluid pH, and water content of cells.
