Week 5 – Discussion Board 1

[Art Liebl]

In at least 250, words talk about difference in between an artery and veins.  Also, discuss the importance of the four chambers of the heart.  Respond to two fellow students by Monday.

[Shivangi Patel]

Arteries and veins (also called blood vessels) are tubes of muscle that your blood flows through. Arteries carry blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. Veins push blood back to your heart.
Your arteries carry high-oxygen blood away from your heart towards the rest of the body. They branch out into many smaller arteries in other parts of your body.‌
Your largest artery is the aorta.
‌Your blood loses oxygen as it travels through your arteries. Veins carry the blood back to your heart to absorb more oxygen. Your veins usually hold about 75% of all the blood flowing through your body.‌
Types of arteries
There are three types of arteries:
Elastin arteries
Muscular arteries
Smooth muscle fibers
Arterioles
There are two main types of veins, pulmonary and systemic.

The heart consists of four chambers – two atria and two ventricles:

Blood returning to the heart enters the atria, and is then pumped into the ventricles.
From the left ventricle, blood passes into the aorta and enters the systemic circulation.
From the right ventricle, blood enters the pulmonary circulation via the pulmonary arteries.
Right Atrium
The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the superior and inferior vena cavae, and from the coronary veins.
Sinus venarum – located posterior to the crista terminalis. This part receives blood from the superior and inferior vena cavae.
Left Atrium
The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the four pulmonary veins, and pumps it through the left atrioventricular orifice
Right Ventricle
The right ventricle receives deoxygenated blood from the right atrium, and pumps it through the pulmonary orifice , into the pulmonary artery
Left Ventricle
The left ventricle receives oxygenated blood from the left atrium, and pumps it through the aortic orifice into the aorta.

[Estevao Rosacruz]

It’s amazing to come across these types of information about the human body, right?

[Estevao Rosacruz]

Arteries and veins are two crucial components of the circulatory system, each serving distinct roles in the transportation of blood throughout the body. The primary difference between arteries and veins lies in their structure and function.
Arteries are vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to various tissues and organs. They have thick, muscular walls that enable them to withstand the high pressure generated by the heart during systole (phase of the cardiac cycle during which the heart muscle contracts to pump blood into the arteries). The largest artery, the aorta, branches into smaller arteries, eventually leading to arterioles and capillaries. Arteries are characterized by their strong, elastic walls, which help maintain blood pressure and ensure a continuous flow of blood to the body’s peripheral tissues.
Veins, on the other hand, transport deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart. Unlike arteries, veins have thinner walls and lower pressure. To counteract the force of gravity and facilitate blood return to the heart, veins often contain one-way valves that prevent backflow. Veins merge into larger vessels, forming the superior and inferior vena cava, which return blood to the right atrium of the heart, to restart the process with the diastole, a phase of relaxation during which the heart chambers fill with blood.
The heart consists of four chambers—two atria (left and right) and two ventricles (left and right). This four-chambered structure is vital for the efficient functioning of the circulatory system.
The atria receive blood returning to the heart. The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body and pumps it to the right ventricle, while the left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it to the left ventricle.
The ventricles are responsible for pumping blood out of the heart. The right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs for oxygenation, while the left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.
This separation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood prevents the mixing of the two types of blood, ensuring that oxygen-rich blood is efficiently delivered to the body’s tissues. The coordinated contraction and relaxation of the heart chambers maintain a continuous and regulated blood flow, essential for sustaining life and supporting the metabolic needs of the body. The heart’s four-chambered structure is a testament to its efficiency in maintaining the circulatory equilibrium required for overall physiological well-being.

[Carlos Martinez]

Oxygen is so important for everything in our body.

[Carolina Swanstrom]

Learning about our bodies and how amazing it works, makes it easier to try to have a healthier lifestyle.

[Carolina Swanstrom]

Arteries and veins are blood vessels that carry white blood cells, platelets, and various nutrients thought the body. They play essential roles in transporting the blood but in different directions: arteries take oxygenated blood away from the heart in the systemic circulation to parts of the body and veins carry deoxygenated blood back to the hear from the body to reoxygenate. With exception of the pulmonary artery that takes deoxygenated blood to the lungs for oxygenation and pulmonary vein that carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart.

Arteries can be found deep withing the body, closer to the center and veins are generally found closer to the body’s surface. Even they have 3 same layers of walls, arteries have thicker and muscular walls versus veins having thinner, less elastic and less muscular walls.
Vein need valves to keep blood flowing towards the hears, specially from legs and arms. Arteries in the other end, don’t need them because the pressure from the heart keeps the blood flowing through them in one direction.

The chambers of the heart are one big team that permits a highly effective supply of oxygenated blood to all body parts. They have a big job to keep the blood moving thought the veins and arteries to make sure the blood receives the oxygen to support your organs. While its main purpose if to regulate the flow of the blood delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues and organs, it also removes waste products. A balanced diet, active life and frequent check up with your doctor can significantly help with a healthy heart, many cardiovascular diseases are referred as a silent killer, since people are not aware they have it.

[Carlos Martinez]

its amazing how our body works and even the importance of having a god nutrition has to be always the secret of having a better life.

[Saika Pierre]

Hi Carolina,
I agree with your statement about frequent check-ups with your provider to ensure all functions in the body are working as they should. Some cardiovascular diseases like hypertension have simple treatments that are effective and affordable, but if left untreated, it can lead to serious health issues like stroke or kidney failure.

[Estevao Rosacruz]

Its common knowledge that the heart is extremely important to most living beings on the planet but its great to actually learn the why

[Carlos Martinez]

The arteries transport blood from the heart. and the veins bring back the blood into the heart and the Capillaries, the smallest and most numerous of the blood vessels, form the connection between the vessels that carry blood away from the heart (arteries) and the vessels that return blood to the heart (veins). The primary function of capillaries is the exchange of materials between the blood and tissue cells this capillaries surround the cells and the tissue of the body so they can give and absorb oxygen, nutrients and another kind of substances this capillaries also connect the capillaries also connects the roots between the arteries and the veins.
Arteries carry blood away from the heart. Pulmonary arteries transport blood that has a low oxygen content from the right ventricle to the lungs. Systemic arteries transport oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the body tissues. Blood is pumped from the ventricles into large elastic arteries that branch repeatedly into smaller and smaller arteries until the branching results in microscopic arteries called arterioles. The arterioles play a key role in regulating blood flow into the tissue capillaries. About 10 percent of the total blood volume is in the systemic arterial system at any given time.
Veins carry blood toward the heart. After blood passes through the capillaries, it enters the smallest veins, called venules. From the venules, it flows into progressively larger and larger veins until it reaches the heart. In the pulmonary circuit, the pulmonary veins transport blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart. This blood has a high oxygen content because it has just been oxygenated in the lungs. Systemic veins transport blood from the body tissue to the right atrium of the heart. This blood has a reduced oxygen content because the oxygen has been used for metabolic activities in the tissue cells Almost 70 percent of the total blood volume is in the veins at any given time. Medium and large veins have venous valves, similar to the semilunar valves associated with the heart, that help keep the blood flowing toward the heart. Venous valves are especially important in the arms and legs, where they prevent the backflow of blood in response to the pull of gravity.

[Carolina Swanstrom]

Every single part of our body has a big job, doesn’t matter how small they are.

[Saika Pierre]

The cardiovascular system really puts into perspective how every component in our body works to keep us alive!

[Saika Pierre]

Arteries and veins are important parts of the body’s circulation system, but they do different jobs. Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to different body parts, giving them the nutrients and oxygen they need. Arteries are strong and muscular to handle the pressure from the heart’s pumping. Veins, on the other hand, bring oxygen-poor blood back to the heart, where it gets filled up with oxygen again. Veins have thinner walls and valves that stop blood from flowing backward, especially in areas like the legs where gravity pulls blood downwards.

The heart is like a powerful pump with four parts: two atria and two ventricles. The atria collect blood from the body and lungs, while the ventricles push blood out to the lungs and body. This division keeps oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood separate, which is important for keeping the body’s oxygen levels right. The heart’s chambers work together, squeezing and relaxing in a coordinated way, controlled by electrical signals. This keeps the blood moving smoothly, delivering nutrients and oxygen to tissues and taking away waste products. Without the heart’s four chambers working properly, the body couldn’t function, showing just how important the heart is for staying healthy.

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