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MetroGnome217's avatar

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the mammal circulatory system?

Asked by MetroGnome217 (311points) May 19th, 2010

Does anyone have a biological answer for this?
My biologist friend is quizzing me…

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7 Answers

Dr_C's avatar

One advantage would be the ability to repair tissue damage due to localized inflamation and recruitment of cells through the secretion of cytokines. The ability to regulate body heat and to transport Oxygen, glucose and other metabolic substrates as well as the ability to fight off infection.

A disadvantage would be inherent in any kind of disorder of the system which could lead to either hemolytic anemia, un-checked proliferation of immature or mutant cells, and bleeding dyscrasias.

MetroGnome217's avatar

@Dr_C Wow! I think he was looking for something do do with chambers, arteries viens etc
anything with that?

ragingloli's avatar

The chambers of the heart are isolated from each other, so there is no mixture of oxygen rich blood with oxygen lacking blood, which ensures that the oxygen rich blood goes back into the system undiluted and this improves performance of muscles and organs.

Dr_C's avatar

sure. The circulatory system is subdivided into two sections. Pulmonary circulation will direct blood received in the right side of the heart from the body (de-oxygenated blood) to the lungs where gas exchange takes place. The blood returning from the lungs enters the left side of the heart which will pump the blood into systemic circulation (the rest of thebody).

The advantages of the 4 chambers of the heart and the anatomy of the vascular space revolve around the ability to control pressure and flow depending on the body’s requirements. Dilation of a blood vessel will increase flow but reduce pressure. Increased heart rate can increase pressure and or flow depending on peripheral resistance.

So the relationship between heart rate, blood volume and peripheral resistance (or vessel diameter) is incredibly important in the control of blood pressure and specific tissue perfusion. Also you could get into the chemical aspects which will increase or inhibit these factors depending on oxygenation, metabolic requirements and or temperature issues.. but that goes a bit beyond the scope of the chamber issue.

quick side note: arterioles will have a contractile element due to smooth muscle in the vascular wall which will allow constriction or dilation, while venous return has to fight gravity and is dependent of valves to inhibit reverse flow of blood

Lightlyseared's avatar

An advantage is that having a circualtiry system allows for the efficient transfer of oxygen to the cells and the efficient removal of co2 out of the body. Compare it to what you find in invertebrates where the circulatory system is just a big pool of fluid so you have to rely on diffusion to get stuff to the right place. That works for insects because they are small.

dynamic3's avatar

@Lightlyseared be careful in generalising invertebrates because that also includes Cephalopods most notibly octopus’ which in fact have three hearts. Small insects can also have many hearts and although you are correct in saying it relies ultimately on diffusion when right next to the cells there is a definite circulatory system in place. sorry for being a pinickety animal biologist.

As @Dr_C suggested towards the end of his answer the ability to constrict or dilate blood vessels “vasodilation” provides mammals (and other taxa with the ability) with a significant selective advantage over other animals with regard to thermoregulation. For example the ringed seal Pusa hispida, which dives in freezing arctic seas, diverts blood away from its outer layers of skin and blubber allowing the surface temperature of the skin to drop to 3–4°C whilst the core body temperature remains ≈38°C.

Dr_C's avatar

@dynamic3 human beings do the same in cases of hypothermia or hypovolemic shock, diverting blood flow to vital organs in order to preserve life.

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