The Development of the Circulatory System

A set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on the development of the circulatory system.

Embryonic Circulation

The system that supplies oxygen, nutrients, and removes wastes from the embryo.

Vitelline Arc

Circulatory system in embryos that supplies foodstuffs from the yolk sac.

Allantois

Structure in amniote eggs that serves as the chief organ of respiration and waste deposition.

Shunts

Specialized passages in the heart that allow for blood flow to develop without overloading the pulmonary circulation.

Erythropoiesis

The process by which red blood cells are produced.

Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Cells that can differentiate into various types of blood cells.

Vasculogenesis

The formation of new blood vessels from angioblasts.

Angiogenesis

The process of forming new blood vessels from pre-existing ones.

Truncus Arteriosus

The main artery from which the aorta and pulmonary trunk develop.

Foramen Ovale

An opening between the left and right atria in the fetal heart that allows blood to bypass the lungs.

Ductus Arteriosus

A fetal blood vessel that connects the pulmonary artery to the aorta, allowing blood to bypass non-functioning lungs.

Adult Hemoglobin

The form of hemoglobin present in adults, composed of two alpha and two beta chains.

Fetal Hemoglobin

Hemoglobin found in fetuses, having a higher affinity for oxygen than adult hemoglobin.

Septum Primum

The first septum that develops in the heart, forming the interatrial septum.

Septum Secundum

A secondary septum in the heart that allows for continued shunting of blood in the fetal heart.

Coronary Sinus

Large vein that drains blood from the heart muscle into the right atrium.