Animal Transport Systems

• Blood


  Contains plasma, red blood cells and white blood cells
• Role of blood


  Transport nutrients and carbon dioxide around the body
• Components of blood


  • Plasma
  • Red blood cells
  • White blood cells
  • Platelets
• Red blood cells


  • Specialised cells
  • Biconcave shape
  • No nucleus
  • High surface area to carry more oxygen
• Hemoglobin


  Protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen
• Oxygen binding and release

  1. Oxygen binding to hemoglobin

  2. Oxygen being released from hemoglobin
• White blood cells


  Part of the immune system and are involved in destroying pathogens
• Pathogens


  Microorganisms that can cause disease (bacteria, viruses, fungi)
• Types of cells involved

  • Phagocytes
  • Lymphocytes
• Phagocytes


  • Carry out phagocytosis or engulfing, and digesting pathogens using enzymes
• Lymphocytes


  • Produce antibodies that specifically bind to and destroy pathogens
• Antibodies


  Proteins that have a specific binding site to a particular pathogen
• Types of blood vessels

  • Arteries
  • Veins
  • Capillaries
• Arteries


  • Thick muscular walls, narrow central channel, no valves, high blood pressure, pulse present, carry blood away from the heart
• Veins


  • Thin muscular walls, wide central channel, have valves, low blood pressure, no pulse, carry blood towards the heart
• Capillaries


  • Very thin walls, form networks, large surface area, allow exchange of oxygen, glucose, carbon dioxide and waste between blood and body tissues
• Capillaries have one cell thick walls
• Heart


  A muscle that pumps blood to the lungs and around the body
• Heart


  • Has four chambers
  • Has four valves to prevent the backflow of blood
• Arteries carry blood away from the heart
• Veins carry blood into the heart
• The wall of the left ventricle is thicker than the wall of the right ventricle
• The left ventricle has to pump blood a further distance around the body
• Blood flow


  1. Blood flows from the right side of the heart to the lungs where it picks up oxygen and carbon dioxide is removed

  2. Blood then returns to the left side of the heart where it is then pumped around the body