Additional Notes Module 4: Structure and Function of Blood Vessels

Question 1

____ by the heart flows through a series of vessels known as arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins before returning to the heart.

Answer 1

Blood pumped

Question 2

____ transport blood away from the heart and branch into smaller vessels, forming arterioles.

Answer 2

Arteries

Question 3

____ distribute blood to capillary beds, the sites of exchange with the body tissues.

Answer 3

Arterioles

Question 4

_____ lead back to small vessels known as venules that flow into the larger veins and eventually back to the heart.

Answer 4

Capillaries

Question 5

The _____ system is a relatively high-pressure system, so arteries have thick walls that appear round in cross section.

Answer 5

arterial

Question 6

The ____ system is a lower-pressure system, containing veins that have larger lumens and thinner walls.They often appear flattened.

Answer 6

venous

Question 7

Arteries, arterioles, venules, and veins are composed of ____ tunics

Answer 7

three

Question 8

three tunics known as the

Answer 8

tunica intima, tunica media, and tunica externa.

Question 9

Capillaries have only a tunica ____ layer.

Answer 9

intima

Question 10

The tunica _____ is a thin layer composed of a simple squamous epithelium known as endothelium and a small amount of connective tissue.

Answer 10

intima

Question 11

The tunica ____ is a thicker area composed of variable amounts of smooth muscle and connective tissue. It is the thickest layer in all but the largest arteries.

Answer 11

media

Question 12

The tunica ____ is primarily a layer of connective tissue, although in veins, it also contains some smooth muscle.

Answer 12

externa

Question 13

Blood flow through vessels can be dramatically influenced by _____ and ____ in their walls.

Answer 13

vasoconstriction, vasodilation

Question 14

Very small artery that leads to a capillary

Answer 14

Arteriole

Question 15

Short vessel connecting an arteriole directly to a venule and bypassing the capillary beds

Answer 15

Arteriovenous anastomosis

Question 16

Blood vessel that conducts blood away from the heart; may be a conducting or distributing vessel

Answer 16

Artery

Question 17

Ability of a vein to distend and store blood

Answer 17

Capacitance

Question 18

Veins

Answer 18

Capacitance vessels

Question 19

Smallest of blood vessels where physical exchange occurs between the blood and tissue cells surrounded by interstitial fluid

Answer 19

Capillary

Question 20

Network of 10-100 capillaries connecting arterioles to venules

Answer 20

Capillary bed

Question 21

Most common type of capillary, found in virtually all tissues except epithelia and cartilage; contains very small gaps in the endothelial lining that permit exchange

Answer 21

Continuous capillary

Question 22

Artery with abundant elastic fibers located closer to the heart, which maintains the pressure gradient and conducts blood to smaller branches

Answer 22

Elastic artery

Question 23

Membrane composed of elastic fibers that separates the tunica media from the tunica externa; seen in larger arteries

Answer 23

External elastic membrane

Question 24

Type of capillary with pores or fenestrations in the endothelium that allow for rapid passage of certain small materials

Answer 24

Fenestrated capillary

Question 25

Membrane composed of elastic fibers that separates the tunica intima from the tunica media; seen in large arteries

Answer 25

Internal elastic membrane

Question 26

Interior of a tubular structure such as a blood vessel or a portion of the alimentary canal through which blood, chyme, or other substances travel

Answer 26

Lumen

Question 27

Short vessel arising from a terminal arteriole that branches to supply a capillary bed

Answer 27

Metarteriole

Question 28

Blood flow through the capillaries

Answer 28

Microcirculation:

Question 29

Artery with abundant smooth muscle in the tunica media that branches to distribute blood to the arteriole network

Answer 29

Muscular artery

Question 30

Small nerve fibers found in arteries and veins that trigger contraction of the smooth muscle in their walls

Answer 30

Nervi vasorum

Question 31

Distribution of blood into the capillaries so the tissues can be supplied

Answer 31

Perfusion

Question 32

Circular rings of smooth muscle that surround the entrance to a capillary and regulate blood flow into that capillary

Answer 32

Precapillary sphincters

Question 33

Rarest type of capillary, which has extremely large intercellular gaps in the basement membrane in addition to clefts and fenestrations; found in areas such as the bone marrow and liver where passage of large molecules occurs

Answer 33

Sinusoid capillary

Question 34

Continuation of the metarteriole that enables blood to bypass a capillary bed and flow directly into a venule, creating a vascular shunt

Answer 34

Thoroughfare channel

Question 35

Outermost layer or tunic of a vessel (except capillaries)

Answer 35

Tunica externa

Question 36

Innermost lining or tunic of a vessel

Answer 36

Tunica intima

Question 37

Middle layer or tunic of a vessel (except capillaries)

Answer 37

Tunica media

Question 38

Small blood vessels located within the walls or tunics of larger vessels that supply nourishment to and remove wastes from the cells of the vessels

Answer 38

Vasa Vasorum

Question 39

Continuation of the metarteriole and thoroughfare channel that allows blood to bypass the capillary beds to flow directly from the arterial to the venous circulation

Answer 39

Vascular shunt

Question 40

Constriction of the smooth muscle of a blood vessel, resulting in a decreased vascular diameter

Answer 40

Vasoconstriction

Question 41

Relaxation of the smooth muscle in the wall of a blood vessel, resulting in an increased vascular diameter

Answer 41

Vasodilation

Question 42

Irregular, pulsating flow of blood through capillaries and related structures

Answer 42

Vasomotion

Question 43

Blood vessels that conducts blood toward the heart

Answer 43

Vein

Question 44

Volume of blood contained within systemic veins in the integument, bone marrow, and liver that can be returned to the heart for circulation, if needed

Answer 44

Venous reserve

Question 45

Small vessel leading from the capillaries to veins

Answer 45

Venule