Closed Circulatory System In Vertebrates

Transportation in living organisms refers to the movement of substances. This lesson will explain what a closed circulatory system is and how it functions.

Vertebrates like birds, mammals, and reptiles possess a closed circulatory system where blood continuously circulates within blood vessels, never leaving them.

The heart pumps blood into arteries, which branch into smaller arterioles, and then into capillaries. In capillaries, materials are exchanged between the blood and body cells. Capillaries then unite to form venules and veins, which return blood to the heart.

Blood is a red fluid responsible for transporting nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and waste products. All vertebrates have blood containing hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen and gives blood its red color.

Having understood what a closed circulatory system is and how it works, the next lessons will explore different types of closed circulatory systems, including double and single circulation.