Students learn how healthy human heart valves function and the different diseases that can affect heart valves. They also learn about devices and procedures that biomedical engineers have designed to help people with damaged or diseased heart valves. Students learn about the pros and cons of different materials and how doctors choose which engineered artificial heart valves are appropriate for certain people.

Students are presented with an engineering challenge that asks them to develop a material and model that can be used to test the properties of aortic valves without using real specimens. Developing material that is similar to human heart valves makes testing easier for biomedical engineers because they can test new devices or ideas on the model valve instead of real heart valves, which can be difficult to obtain for research. To meet the challenge, students are presented with a variety of background information, are asked to research the topic to learn more specific information pertaining to the challenge, and design and build a (prototype) product. After students test their products and make modifications as needed, they convey background and product information in the form of portfolios and presentations to the potential buyer.

This lesson describes how the circulatory system works, including the heart, blood vessels and blood. Students learn about the chambers and valves of the heart, the difference between veins and arteries, and the different components of blood. This lesson also covers the technology engineers have developed to repair the heart if it is damaged. Students also understand how the circulatory system is affected during spaceflight (e.g., astronauts lose muscle in their heart during space travel).

 Pulse rate can be influenced by many things.  In this lab, you will determine what effect holding your breath and exercising have on your pulse rate.

The students will investigate the muscular system by observing and comparing slides of muscles, by observing changes in their arm muscles and by observing their respiration and pulse rate during sitting, walking and running.

Find out exactly where the heart rests in your body and what it does. Rishi is a pediatric infectious disease physician and works at Khan Academy. Created by Rishi Desai.

Revised for Bio 101, Human Circulatory System, Errors in MC questions fixed.By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe an open and closed circulatory systemDescribe interstitial fluid and hemolymphCompare and contrast the organization and evolution of the vertebrate circulatory system.

Students use their knowledge about how healthy heart valves function to design, construct and implant prototype replacement mitral valves for hypothetical patients' hearts. Building on what they learned in the associated lesson about artificial heart valves, combined with the testing and scoring of their prototype heart valve designs in this activity, students discover the pros and cons of different types of artificial heart valves based on materials, surgery requirements, and lifespan.