What is the Difference Between Pulmonary and Systemic Circulation?

The main difference between pulmonary and systemic circulation lies in the pathways through which blood flows and the function of these pathways.

Pulmonary Circulation:

• Moves blood between the heart and the lungs.
• Transports deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs to absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide.
• The oxygenated blood then flows back to the heart.
• The process occurs in the lungs and heart.

Systemic Circulation:

• Moves blood between the heart and the rest of the body.
• Sends oxygenated blood out to cells and returns deoxygenated blood to the heart.
• Provides the functional blood supply to all body tissues, carrying oxygen and nutrients to the cells and picking up carbon dioxide and waste products.
• The process takes place between the heart and the rest of the body.

In summary, pulmonary circulation is responsible for transporting blood between the heart and lungs for oxygenation, while systemic circulation is responsible for providing oxygenated blood to the body's tissues and returning deoxygenated blood to the heart.

Comparative Table: Pulmonary vs Systemic Circulation

Here is a table summarizing the differences between pulmonary and systemic circulation:

Pulmonary circulation moves blood between the heart and the lungs, transporting deoxygenated blood to the lungs to absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Systemic circulation, on the other hand, moves blood between the heart and the rest of the body, sending oxygenated blood out to cells and returning deoxygenated blood to the heart.