kerfisblóðrásinni

Kerfisblóðrásinni, also known as the systemic circulation, is the part of the cardiovascular system that distributes oxygenated blood from the left ventricle of the heart to the rest of the body and returns deoxygenated blood back to the right atrium. This vital circuit ensures that all tissues and organs receive the necessary nutrients and oxygen for their metabolic functions and that waste products are efficiently removed.

The pathway begins in the left ventricle, which pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta, the largest artery in the body. The aorta then branches into smaller arteries, which further subdivide into arterioles, eventually reaching capillary beds within various tissues. In the capillaries, the exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste products occurs. Oxygen and nutrients diffuse from the blood into the cells, while carbon dioxide and metabolic wastes diffuse from the cells into the blood.

Following this exchange, the deoxygenated blood, now rich in waste products, is collected by venules, which merge to form larger veins. These veins eventually converge into the superior and inferior vena cava, the two largest veins in the body. The vena cava then empty the deoxygenated blood into the right atrium of the heart, completing the systemic circulation loop. This continuous flow is crucial for maintaining homeostasis and supporting the life of the organism.