Anatomical Principles of the Circulatory System

The circulatory system comprises two interrelated systems: the cardiovascular and the lymphatic vascular systems. The cardiovascular system is composed by the heart and its distribution network: arteries, veins, and capillaries [Color textbook of histology, Philadelphia, 2007]. Its ramifications are depicted inside this chapter. In parallel, the lymphatic system consists of an extensive network of vessels similar to veins that are spread throughout the body. These plexuses contain nodes in its path that are responsible for filtering and carrying back to the blood stream fluids from organs and tissues that did not return to the blood capillaries [Color textbook of histology, Philadelphia, 2007; Gray’s anatomy: the anatomical basis of clinical practice, Edinburgh, 2008]. For a better understanding of the main problems and diseases related to this system it is extremely important to review the anatomy of the vessels and the heart before going to the next chapters.