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.

[Leonisa Avelino]

Arteries and veins are both blood vessels, but they have very different roles in the circulatory system. Arteries carry blood away from the heart, usually rich in oxygen (except for the pulmonary artery, which carries oxygen-poor blood to the lungs). They have thick, muscular, and elastic walls because they must withstand the high pressure of blood being pumped out by the heart.

On the other hand, veins carry blood back to the heart. This blood is usually low in oxygen (except the pulmonary veins, which carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart). Veins have thinner walls and valves inside to prevent blood from flowing backward, since the pressure is much lower in veins.

The four chambers of the heart are the right atrium, the left atrium, the right ventricle, and the left ventricle. They are essential because they keep oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood separated and ensure blood flows in the right direction. The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body and sends it to the right ventricle, which pumps it to the lungs. The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and sends it to the left ventricle, which pumps it out to the rest of the body. Each chamber has a specific job, and they work together to keep blood circulating properly, delivering oxygen and nutrients to every part of the body while removing waste products like carbon dioxide.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Leonisa, thank you for pointing out the other exception to the rule which are the pulmonary veins that instead of carrying oxygen-poor blood, in this case carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart. Your explanation of the subject was very concise and clear.

[Yona Souza]

Leonisa, I liked that you emphasized that pulmonary respiration works differently. Your explanation is easy to follow and has great details. Thank you for sharing.

[Lesly Betancur]

The circulatory system relies on arteries and veins to transport blood throughout the body, but these two types of blood vessels serve different functions. Arteries are responsible for carrying oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. They have thick, elastic walls designed to withstand the high pressure generated by the heart’s pumping action.
On the contrary, veins carry oxygen-poor blood back to the heart from the body. Since the pressure in veins is lower, their walls are thinner, and many contain valves that help prevent the backflow of blood.
At the center of the circulatory system is the heart, a muscular organ with four chambers that coordinate the continuous movement of blood. These chambers include two atria (upper chambers) and two ventricles (lower chambers), each with a specific role:
Right Atrium: Receives deoxygenated blood from the body and passes it to the right ventricle.
Right Ventricle: Pumps this blood to the lungs to receive oxygen via the pulmonary artery.
Left Atrium: Receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and transfers it to the left ventricle.
Left Ventricle: Pumps oxygenated blood to the entire body through the aorta (the largest artery).
This chambered structure of the heart ensures a continuous, efficient, one-way flow of blood, keeping oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood separate and maintaining an effective circulatory system to support overall body function. This system plays a vital role in transporting oxygen and nutrients to the body while eliminating waste products such as carbon dioxide.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Lesly, your explanation of how the blood circulates through the heart definitely paints a clear picture of the whole process. It was very easy to follow and understand. This is going to be particularly helpful when trying to remember key details of this biological process.

[Milleny Arantess]

Lesly, your explanation of each chamber of the heart and the difference between arteries and veins is amazing! It is so easy to understand and follow along with. Thank you for sharing.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Even though arteries and veins are both types of blood vessels, they differ in two main forms. One of them being the direction of blood flow and the type of blood they carry. Arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body, while veins carry deoxygenated blood from the body back to the heart. The pulmonary arteries are an exception to this as they carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. They are the only arteries in your body that carry oxygen-poor blood. Another difference is that arteries have thicker, more elastic walls to withstand high pressure, while veins have thinner walls and valves to prevent back flow of blood, unlike arteries.

When it comes to the importance of the four chambers of the heart, they are crucial for efficiently delivering oxygenated blood to the body and removing oxygen-poor blood to the lungs. It works by the heart’s two upper chambers, the atria, receiving blood from the veins, while the two lower chambers, the ventricles, pump the blood out of the heart. This separation ensures that oxygenated blood is directed to the body and deoxygenated blood is directed to the lungs for gas exchange. It is also important to mention that the heart’s chambers work in a well coordinated manner, along with the heart valves, to maintain proper blood flow and prevent backflow of blood. This separation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood is vital for efficient circulation and the delivery of oxygen to the body’s tissues.

[Lesly Betancur]

Cristina, I really liked how you clearly highlighted the key differences between arteries and veins, especially pointing out the exception with the pulmonary arteries, that’s such an important detail that’s easy to overlook.

[Yona Souza]

Cristina, your explanation is very well developed, you highlighted the importance of the 4 chambers of the heart really well and it made me understand how oxygenated and deoxygenated blood is vital for our body, and that efficiency MATTERS!

[Joseph Matthews]

Arteries and veins serve different roles and are an integral part of the body’s circulatory system which key function is the proper flow of blood, oxygen, nutrients and other gases both to and from the cells of the body as well as eliminating harmful waste products such as carbon dioxide. Herewith is a breakdown of the key differences between the two:
• Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body. They are large and have thick elastic walls which is key in order to withstand the high pressure from the heart’s pumping action. A good case-in-point here is the Aorta.
• Veins, on the other hand, have a different directional function in that they carry oxygen-poor blood back to the heart. A good case-in-point here is the Superior Vana Cava.
• Another difference is that veins have thinner walls than do arteries and often have valves to prevent the blood from flowing backwards, especially as pertains to the arms and legs.
The heart is a muscular organ, it is composed of four specific chambers which pump the blood through the network of arteries and veins. These chambers are crucial for maintaining efficient blood circulation. Herewith is the breakdown of these four chambers and their specific function:
• The right atrium receives oxygen-poor blood returning from the body
• The right ventricle pumps that blood to the lungs for oxygenation
• The left atrium receives the newly oxygenated blood from the lungs
• The left ventricle then pumps the oxygen-rich blood to the entire body
This separation into four chambers is the key factor in ensuring that oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood do not mix as well as maximizing the efficiency of oxygen delivery throughout the body.

[Lesly Betancur]

Joseph, I enjoyed how you clearly outlined the structural and functional differences between arteries and veins, as well as the vital role each heart chamber plays in maintaining efficient blood circulation.

[Leonisa Avelino]

Hi Joseph,
Thank you for your thorough and well-organized explanation. You clearly outlined the key differences between arteries and veins, as well as the heart’s role in maintaining efficient circulation. Great job breaking it down so clearly and making it easy to follow!

[Milleny Arantess]

Hi Joeseph
I love how you wrote the differences of the arteries and veins, as well as the four heart chambers, in bullet points; it makes it so much easier to read and understand. The heart is such an amazing organ in the way that it is so organized and how it’s so complex it has 3 different systems working in it so the way you explained it makes it so much easier to understand!

[Joseph Matthews]

Leonisa – this issue of arteries, veins and the importance of the four chambers of the heart is quite complex one, especially in the case of a layperson like me. I admire the way in which you addressed both subjects in a clear and descriptive format while keeping it succinct which is not a simple task.

[Joseph Matthews]

Following up on Leonisa’s approach to this subject – Cristina also follows the same approach addressing both subjects in clear, distinct and informative paragraph with a focus on an efficient word count. Again – this requires time, attention to the key details and a sound knowledge of the subject at hand.

[Yona Souza]

Although arteries and veins are considered blood vessels and part of the circulatory system, they have key differences in structure and function.

Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart and take it to the rest of the body’s system, which is true only in systemic circulation, since it works the opposite way in pulmonary respiration. While veins carry oxygen-poor blood towards the heart, which is true only in systemic circulation, since it works the opposite way in pulmonary respiration.
While arteries are thick-walled and carry blood under high pressure because of the heart’s pumping, veins are thin-walled and can carry blood under lower pressure.

There are also two ways in which arteries control the flow of blood, while the veins don’t:

Through Vasodilation: arteries are able to dilate, that is, widen, for blood to flow to areas of the body that need more flow.

Through Vasoconstriction: arteries can constrict, that is, narrow, to better control and restrict blood flow, since there are organs of our body that need less blood flow

The location in which they’re located and their shape hint at their function since arteries are thicker and carry blood under high-pressure circumstances, they need to be protected under all circumstances, that is why they’re located deeper in our body, while veins are located closer to our skin’s surface, which helps blood donations and IVs due to their easy accesibility.

The heart has four chambers, including two atriums and two ventricles, these chambers are important to control and transport oxyganeted and deoxyganeted resulting in a better efficiency of the circulatory system, these chambers keeps oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood mixing with each other so that blood is carried to the right parts of our body based on its properties.

[Leonisa Avelino]

Hi Yona,
I really enjoyed reading your post! I especially liked how you pointed out the location of the arteries and veins and explained why veins are more accessible for things like IVs. You made it very easy to understand. Great job!

[Milleny Arantess]

Arteries and veins are a part of the same system, the systemic cycle in the heart, but they do different things. Arteries and veins have their own functions that although similar they don’t do the same thing.
Arteries carry oxygen rich blood from the heart to the body. It’s through arteries that oxygen rich blood get carried around the body and all of our organs receive oxygen. Arteries are usually thicker since the blood they carry need more pressure to go around the whole body fast.
Veins carry oxygen poor blood from the body to the heart. It’s through veins that carbon dioxide gets removed from the organs and gets back to the heart. Veins are thinner than arteries since they carry blood that doesn’t need to much pressure to go around the body.

The heart has four chambers: the right and left atrium and the right and left ventricle. These four chambers are important for the organization and separation of blood. The right side of the heart has the right atrium and ventricle, these chambers are where the oxygen poor blood is found. The atrium receives the oxygen poor blood from the body and pumps it to the ventricle and the ventricle pumps the oxygen poor blood to the lungs.
The left side of the heart includes the left atrium and ventricle. This side is where oxygen rich blood is found. The left atrium receives oxygen rich blood from the lungs and pumps the blood to the left ventricle. The left ventricle receives the oxygen rich blood and pumps it to the rest of the body.

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