Question

What is double circulation? Explain the process of double circulation in humans.

Accepted Answer

The human circulatory system is a double circulatory system. The human circulatory system has two separate routes to flow the blood twice through the heart in one complete cycle- one is through a pulmonary circuit and the other is through the systemic circuit. The double circulatory system can be seen in birds, reptiles and amphibians other than mammals. The double circulatory system mainly separates the oxygenated and deoxygenated blood from mixing up together.

i) Systemic Circulation– The heart is completely divided into four chambers. It comprises two separate pumps working together.

The flow of oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to all parts of the body, and then the flow of deoxygenated blood from various parts of the body to the right atrium comprises systemic circulation.

In this circulation, oxygenated blood entering the left atrium is pumped to the left ventricle through the mitral valve and then to all parts through the aorta. After circulation in all tissues, the deoxygenated blood was controlled by veins and had transferred to the right atrium through the superior and inferior vena cava.

As in systemic circulation, blood had supplied to the tissues; it is called peripheral circulation.

Functions of systemic circulation:

It brings oxygen and nutrients to all cells of the body.

Terminates the carbon dioxide and other waste products from them.

Pulmonary Circulation– Deoxygenated blood from the right atrium had moved to the right ventricle through the tricuspid valve. It is pumped to the pulmonary artery through a pulmonary valve. The pulmonary artery brings deoxygenated blood to the lungs for its oxygenation. After blood gets oxygenated, the pulmonary vein carries this oxygenated blood to the left atrium.

Functions of pulmonary circulation:

It helps in purifying the deoxygenated blood to oxygenated blood which means deoxygenated blood removes carbon dioxide and takes the oxygen.

What is double circulation? Explain the process of double circulation in humans.

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