TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM A1 - Ash, Rick A1 - Morton, David A. A1 - Scott, Sheryl A. PY - 2017 T2 - The Big Picture: Histology AB - The cardiovascular system is the body's principal chemical and cellular transportation network. It supplies nutrients and O2 to tissues to support their metabolism by continuously circulating blood through the intestines and lungs. It plays a fundamental role in homeostasis by maintaining the composition of water and electrolytes in extracellular fluid and removing metabolic wastes by circulating blood through the kidneys. It is the delivery route for immune system cells that defend the body against pathogens that manage to breech barrier epithelia. The cardiovascular system also distributes the vast array of signaling molecules, such as hormones and cytokines, which orchestrate much of our physiology and influence our behavior. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Medical CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accessbiomedicalscience.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1141045135 ER -