pulmonary circulation

(noun)

the part of blood circulation which carries oxygen-depleted blood away from the heart, to the lungs, and returns oxygenated blood back to the heart

Related Terms

  • systemic circulation
  • perfuse
  • dead space
  • hydrostatic

Examples of pulmonary circulation in the following topics:

  • Dead Space: V/Q Mismatch

    • The pulmonary circulation pressure is very low compared to that of the systemic circulation; it is also independent of cardiac output.
    • Pulmonary edema with small pleural effusions on both sides (as shown) can cause changes in the V/Q ratio.
  • Types of Circulatory Systems in Animals

    • The blood then continues through the rest of the body before arriving back at the atrium; this is called systemic circulation.
    • In amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, blood flow is directed in two circuits: one through the lungs and back to the heart (pulmonary circulation) and the other throughout the rest of the body and its organs, including the brain (systemic circulation).
    • For this reason, amphibians are often described as having double circulation.
    • Most reptiles also have a three-chambered heart similar to the amphibian heart that directs blood to the pulmonary and systemic circuits (figure c).
    • Describe how circulation differs between fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals
  • Structures of the Heart

    • Coronary circulation intrinsic to the heart takes blood directly from the main artery (aorta) coming from the heart.
    • For pulmonary and systemic circulation, the heart has to pump blood to the lungs or the rest of the body, respectively .
    • This pattern of pumping is referred to as double circulation and is found in all mammals.
    • Blood then enters the pulmonary circuit and is oxygenated by the lungs.
    • From the pulmonary circuit, blood re-enters the heart through the left atrium.
  • Mammalian Systems and Protective Mechanisms

    • In mammals, pulmonary ventilation occurs via inhalation when air enters the body through the nasal cavity.
    • Air flows into the atrium of the alveolar sac, then circulates into alveoli where gas exchange occurs with the capillaries.
  • Ecosystem Dynamics

    • In May of 1993, an unexplained pulmonary illness struck inhabitants of the southwestern United States in an area shared by Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah known as "The Four Corners. " A young, physically fit Navajo man suffering from shortness of breath was rushed to a hospital in New Mexico and died rapidly.
    • Virologists at the CDC linked the pulmonary syndrome with a virus - a previously unknown type of hantavirus.
    • They isolated a previously unknown hantavirus that caused pulmonary failure or Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
  • The Work of Breathing

    • In pulmonary diseases, the rate of gas exchange into and out of the lungs is reduced.
    • Examples of restrictive diseases are respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary fibrosis.
    • Obstructive diseases and conditions include emphysema, asthma, and pulmonary edema.
  • Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes and Mucosal Surfaces

    • Although the immune system is characterized by circulating cells throughout the body, the regulation, maturation, and intercommunication of immune factors occur at specific sites that are known as lymph nodes.
    • The blood circulates immune cells, proteins, and other factors through the body.
    • On maturation, T and B lymphocytes circulate to various destinations.
    • These antigens are filtered through lymph nodes before the lymph is returned to circulation.
  • Immunological Memory

    • In contrast, the memory cells persist in circulation.
    • If the pathogen is not encountered again during the individual's lifetime, B and T memory cells will circulate for a few years or even several decades, gradually dying off, having never functioned as effector cells.
    • However, if the host is re-exposed to the same pathogen type, circulating memory cells will immediately differentiate into plasma cells and TC cells without input from APCs or TH cells.
  • Gas Exchange across the Alveoli

    • As blood leaves the lungs through the pulmonary veins, the venous PO2=100mmHg, whereas the venous PCO2=40mmHg.
    • The blood returning to the lungs through the pulmonary arteries has a venous PO2=40mmHg and a PCO2=45mmHg.
  • Blood Flow Through the Body

    • Blood leaves the heart through the pulmonary artery and aorta, while blood enters the heart through the two venae cavae and pulmonary veins.
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