THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN

MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS
Every living organism constantly needs the exchange of substances such as
nutrients, waste products, and respiratory gases with the environment in order to
survive and grow

The exchange of substances between the organism and its environment usually

takes place through diffusion.

•The exchange of substances occurs rapidly if:-
(a) the surface area of the organism in contact with the environment is large
(b) the volume of the organism is small
(c) the total surface area/volume ratio (TSA/V) of the organism is large
(d) the distance between the source of the substances and the body cells is near
(e) a high concentration gradient is maintained between the source and the body cells

TOTAL SURFACE AREA TO VOLUME

•
Unicellular organisms such as Amoeba sp. and Paramecium sp. obtain substances via diffusion
through the cell surface.
•
They do not face any problem in obtaining their cellular requirements via diffusion because the
volume of the body is small ( the total surface area/volume ratio is very high.
•
Therefore, nutrients and oxygen can diffuse through the cell surface to reach the inside of the
cell easily. Similarly, waste products can be rapidly removed from the cell through simple diffusion.

•
However, in large multicellular organism diffusion alone cannot ensure a constant supply of
oxygen and nutrients to the cells because
(a) the total surface area/volume ratio of the organisms is too small.
(b) the distance between the source of substances and the cells of the organisms is too far from
the environment for a direct exchange to take place effectively.
•
Therefore, multicellular organisms need to overcome the problem of obtaining their cellular

requirements and in getting rid of the waste product

•
They overcome this problem by having a circulatory system to carry out
(a) the distribution of nutrients and oxygen throughout the body, and

(b) the removal of waste products form the body

THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
•The circulatory system
(a) delivers nutrients and oxygen to cells
(b) carries waste products away from the cells
(c) protects the body from infections
•The circulatory system has three major components.
(a) Thebl ood is a type of connective tissue made up of plasma, blood cells and platelets. Blood
acts as a medium of transport.
(b) Thehear t functions as a muscular pump that circulates the blood throughout the body.
(c) The blood vessels are vessels consisting of arteries, capillaries and veins that are
connected to the heart to deliver blood to all body tissues

•BLOOD AND HAEMOLYMPH

•Blood is the medium of transport in humans and animals.
•In many invertebrates such as insects, the medium of transport is called the haemolymph.

•The haemolymph is a blood-like nutritive fluid which fills the entire body cavity
(haemocoel) and surrounds all cells

BLOOD: TRANSPORTATION, REGULATION AND PROTECTION.

Blood transports
(a) oxygen from the lungs to the cell of whole body, and carbon dioxide from the cells to the lungs.
(b) nutrients, hormones and antibodies throughout the body.
(c) waste products away from the cell to the organs of the excretory system

Blood regulates
(a) the pH of body fluids
(b) the body temperature
(c) the water content of cells
Blood protects
(a) from excessive blood loss in an injury through the mechanism of blood clotting It helps to heal wounds.
(b) from diseases and helps to fight against infections, for example, white blood cell carry out phagocytosis and
producesvantibodies to destroy pathogens which enter the body

FUNCTION OF HAEMOLYMPH
–Haemolymph transports water, inorganic salts and organic compounds throughout the haemocoel.
–Unlike blood, haemolymph does not transport respiratory gases
 THE COMPOSITION OF HUMAN BLOOD

Human blood is made up of

55% plasma 45% cellular components

Water:about 90% of plasma 1. Red blood cell(erythrocyte)

10% of..: 2.White blood cell(leucocyte)

>Ion 3. Platelet
>Plasma protein
>Fibrinogen
>Immunoglobins
>Hormones
>Dissolves subtance
Blood plasma

CONSTITUTION FUNCTION
Water: A solvent to transport dissolved substances such as
about 90% of the plasma glucose and amino acids
Ion: potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, chloride Mantain the osmotic balance and the Ph of the blood at
and bicarbonate ions 7.4
Plasma protein: Collectively, the plasma proteins maintain the osmotic
ALBUMIM balance between the blood and the interstitial
fluid. They also act as buffers against any pH
changes and provide a defense against injuries
and diseases