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LAMC BIOLOGY 3 - Bio3 LAB 12 – The Cardiovascular System and its Role in Human Health

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171 LAB 12 – The Cardiovascular System and its Role in Human Health Introduction Anatomy is the study of the structure of cells, tissues and organs of organisms. Physiology is the study of how they function. In his monumental book, On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection, Charles Darwin explained that the blueprints animals inherit from their parents play the major role in the formation of structure. Organisms that have a structure whose function provides increased survivability and/or reproductive success will have their blueprints (genetic alleles) present in higher proportions in future generations. Thus, through the process of mutation and genetic recombination, novel structures and functions arise in populations and through natural selection evolve over time. In this way the overall form and function of a species changes over the course of many, many generations. If you look around the laboratory at all of your classmates, you will observe that, although we all share common structures, the exact nature of those structures differ in a measurable way. Each person’s hair is different, height is different, body size is different – and there are even differences in characteristics we cannot easily observe (e.g. size of the stomach, function of liver enzymes, blood type). It is also important to note that environmental factors, factors that are non-genetic, can dramatically influence the characteristics of an organism. For example, if one identical twin is raised eating a healthy, nutritious diet and the other develops under conditions of starvation, each twin will have dramatically different physical characteristics. In this lab, we will focus on the relationship between anatomy (structure) and physiology (function) by examining the cardiovascular system. You will work from the macroscopic level (body and organ) to the microscopic level (tissues and cells). We will also see how environmental factors, such as diet and exercise, can influence the integrity of the cardiovascular system and thus, a person’s health. NOTE: Your professor may have asked you to track your diet for one to three days so you can actually see how you eat. Proper diet is the first factor you can control in order to decrease your risk of getting cardiovascular disease. Use the Diet Tracker Sheet at the end of this lab to monitor how you eat.172 Part 1: Anatomy of the Cardiovascular System Most modern societies rely upon a “division of labor” in which different companies and the employees who work for them do different specialized tasks. Multicellular organisms such as members of the Animal Kingdom have different organ systems, each with a variety of organs, that also play specialized roles in the body. As with any society, all roles are interconnected. The primary role of the cardiovascular system is to transport substances throughout the body. Much like a modern water system, the cardiovascular transports oxygen from the lungs and nutrients from the small intestine to all body cells. It also carries carbon dioxide to the lungs and nitrogen-containing waste compounds to the kidneys for elimination. This system also plays a role in transporting white blood cells throughout the body – cells that are part of the immune system that defends us from foreign (e.g., bacteria) and domestic (e.g., cancer) invasion. We will focus on its role as a transportation system. Exercise 1 – The Heart, Valves and Major Vessels Examine the dissected cat and observe the location of the heart in the thoracic cavity. Notice the major blood vessels entering and exiting the heart. The cardiovascular (cardio – “heart” and vascular – “vessel or tube”) system consists of the heart and its major vessels. Vessels that carry blood away from the heart are called arteries (and smaller arterioles) while vessels that carry blood toward the heart are called veins (and smaller venules). The smallest vessels, where the exchange of substances actually takes place, are called capillaries. These vessels are so tiny that there are many thousands in a single square centimeter of your skin – so small that they can only be seen under high magnification in a microscope – so small that red blood cells line up single-file to pass through. The capillaries, arranged in capillary beds, connect the arterioles to the venules. The cardiovascular system is also called the circulatory system because the blood travels out to the body and returns to the heart (the systemic circuit), and also out to the lungs and back to the heart (the pulmonary circuit).173 Let us examine the anatomy of the heart first. Look at the dissected sheep heart that has been provided for the class and identify the structures listed below. As you do so, place the appropriate labeled pins in each structure. 1A. The Four Chambers The heart has four chambers. The smaller chambers on top are called atria. The right atrium receives blood returning from the body, and the left atrium receives blood returning from the lungs. The lower chambers beneath the atria are called the ventricles.174 The right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs and the left ventricle pumps blood to the entire body. The wall between the right and left side of the heart is known as the septum. Question: Which ventricle of the heart has to pump harder? The right side (to the lungs) or the left side (to the body)? Notice how much thicker the wall of the left ventricle is compared to the right ventricle. Where does the left ventricle send its blood? 1. Use the labeled pins to correctly identify the four chambers and the septum. 1B. The Valves The right and left atrioventricular (AV) valves separate the atria and the ventricles. They both have parachute-like doors called cusps that prevent blood from moving back into the atria when the ventricles contract, forcing the blood to the lungs and body. The right AV valve is commonly referred to as the tricuspid valve while the left AV valve is commonly called the bicuspid valve or mitral valve. (Why are they named tricuspid and bicuspid?) Also notice that the cusps have parachute-like strings attached to them called the chordae tendineae. 1. Use the correct labeled pins to identify the AV


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LAMC BIOLOGY 3 - Bio3 LAB 12 – The Cardiovascular System and its Role in Human Health

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