Circulatory System: General Structure (Edexcel IGCSE Biology (Modular))

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Lára Marie McIvor

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Circulatory System

  • The circulatory system consists of a closed network of blood vessels connected to the heart

    • Oxygenated blood is carried away from the heart and towards organs in arteries

    • These narrow to arterioles and then capillaries as they pass through the organ

    • In the organs, respiring cells use up the oxygen from the blood

    • The capillaries widen to venules and finally veins as they move away from the organs

    • Veins carry deoxygenated blood back towards the heart

  • A different network of lymphatic vessels collect all the excess tissue fluid that leaks out of the capillaries and delivers it back to the circulatory system

The circulatory system, IGCSE & GCSE Biology revision notes

The circulatory system

Main Blood Vessels of the Circulatory System Table

Organ

Towards organ 

Away from organ

Heart

Vena cava, pulmonary vein

Aorta, pulmonary artery

Lung

Pulmonary artery

Pulmonary vein

Kidney

Renal artery

Renal vein


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Lára Marie McIvor

Author: Lára Marie McIvor

Expertise: Biology Lead

Lára graduated from Oxford University in Biological Sciences and has now been a science tutor working in the UK for several years. Lára has a particular interest in the area of infectious disease and epidemiology, and enjoys creating original educational materials that develop confidence and facilitate learning.