Facts about the Circulatory System – Surprising Information

The circulatory system is made up of the blood vessels, blood and heart. It is necessary when it comes to fighting off diseases. With its presence, the maintenance of homeostasis is possible. This refers to the right pH balance and temperature in the body. The main function of this system is for the transportation of blood to be made possible. These are common facts about Circulatory system. However, there are still many to learn about the mentioned. Basically, it is not just about the carrying of blood. It also involves the transportation of gases, nutrients and even hormones originating from the cells to the whole body.

More about the Circulatory System

If all the arteries, veins and capillaries are to be lain out, they can stretch for as long as 60,000 miles. If converted, this is almost 100,000 kilometers. What is even more is that, the smallest blood vessels, the capillaries will be dominating the length up to 80%.

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The entire circumference of the Earth reaches about 25,000 miles. If this is converted into kilometers, it is 40,000. This goes to show that the blood vessels of a person can even wrap the planet and it may occur even for 2.5 times. Needless to say, capillaries are just too tiny. In average, they are just 8 microns. It is 1/3000 inch in diameter. Compared to a person’s hair, this is almost tenth in diameter. This is also the size of most red blood cells. Whenever they travel, they only do such in a single-file line. This is how it has always been. There are just capillaries though which are way smaller in diameter. This is going to be observed against blood cells. This is why the cells always distort their inherent shapes whenever they pass through.

The circulatory system is made up of various parts. The most important one is the heart. As many, the heart contracts and it does tirelessly. In an average lifetime, it would beat for almost 2.5 billion times. This is of course done so that blood may be pumped all over the body. Most of the time, the contractions are always stimulated and triggered because of the electrical impulses it receives. This would always originate in a particular area of the tissue’s heart. With that, the signals would then spread throughout the entire muscle. This would also occur in the heart’s wall through conducting fibers.

Another composition are the blood vessels. As said, this can be very long when stretched out. These vessels are also made up of three parts. They are the arteries, capillaries and the arterioles. These also perform varied functions in the body.

Of course, the circulatory system will not be completed without the blood. This blood is made up of a straw-colored fluid. It is also composed of plasma. Blood is responsible in the transportation of proteins, nutrients which are both necessary for the process of blood clotting. The same is also true for waste products.