11/24/2014 Microscopic Anatomy Blood Vessels I Thomas Poole Flashcards
The cardiovascular system consists of __ & __
The heart and blood vessels
The blood is pumped in two circuits:
Pulmonary circuit (to and from the lung)
Systemic circuit (to and from the organs and tissues)
Describe the lymphatic vascular system
- parallels the blood capillaries
- carries the lymph (excess tissue fluid, cellular debris and lymphocytes) in one direction only towards the large veins of the neck
The functions of blood vessels are to:
- Allow exchange of gases
- Carry nutrients to tissue
- Carry metabolic wastes away
- Carry hormones and signaling substances
- Maintain quality and quantity of tissue fluid
What is the function of large or conducting arteries?
Allowing rapid blood flow and their elastic laminae help to smooth out pressure differences with distance from the heart
What is the function of the medium or distributing arteries?
Have a slower blood flow and the flow can be controlled by regulatory factors such as chemical or neural input to regulate flow to various organs
Describe the general structure of blood vessels
Blood vessels above precapillaries have three concentric layers or tunics surrounding their lumens:
- intima
- media
- adventitia
Describe the tunica intima
Consists of:
- the endothelium
- basal lamina
- subendothelial layer of loose connective tissue that may contain an occasional smooth muscle cell
What is the internal elastic lamina (sometimes considered part of the media) that borders the media in arteries?
A fenestrated layer of elastin
Describe the tunica media
Composed of:
- smooth muscle
- elastic fibers
- lamellae
- reticular fibers
- proteoglycans
- the extracellular matrix is synthesized by the smooth muscle cells
What do larger vessels have in terms of tunica media
an external elastic lamina
Who replaces the media in capillaries and post-capillary venules?
pericytes
Describe the tunica adventitia
Composed of:
- fibroblasts
- longitudinally oriented type I collagen and elastic fibers
Larger blood vessels have a ___ in the adventitia and a portion of the media that provides nutrients via small vessels to the vessel wall
vasa vasorum (“vessels of the vessel”)
Why do veins have a more extensive vasa vasorum?
Because of the low nutrient and oxygen content of venous blood
What is the function of the intima?
To form a permeable or semipermeable barrier