In: Biology
Explain the difference between systemic, pulmonary, and pulmocutaneous circulation.
Pulmonary circulation refers to the circulation of blood in which deoxygenated blood is pumped from the heart to the lungs and oxygenated blood is returned to back to the heart. Pulmonary circulation only occurs between the heart and the lungs.
Systemic circulation refers to the circulation of blood in which oxygenated blood is pumped from the heart to the body and deoxygenated blood is returned back to the heart. Systemic circulation occurs between the heart and the entire body.
Pulmocutaneous circulation refers to the circulation of blood in to the skin and lungs in which the blood picks up oxygen and releases carbon dioxide before returning to the heart’s left atrium.
Most of the returning blood is pumped into the systemic circulation, which supplies all body organs and then returns oxygen-poor blood to the right atrium via the veins