Cardiovascular System

Learning objectives:

• Understand the structure of the heart and its conducting system.
• Know the components of the vascular wall and how these differ among the types of blood vessels.

The cardiovascular system is composed of the heart and a continuous system of blood vessels.  The cardiovascular system and the lymphatic vessels together form the circulatory system.  An endothelium (a simple squamous epithelium) lines the circulatory system and there are important histological differences in the composition of the tunics or layers that comprise the remaining wall of the various components of this system.  The system consists of the heart, arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, veins, and lymphatic vessels.

Lab Activities

1. The Heart
2. Blood Vessels
   1. The Aorta
3. Electron Micrographs
4. Questions
5. Answers