ANATOMY - Blood Vessel Histology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the three histological layers of a typical blood vessel?

A

Tunica adventitia
Tunica media
Tunica intima

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2
Q

What kind of tissue makes up the tunica adventitia?

A

Connective tissue

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3
Q

What is the functional significance of the connective tissue which makes up the tunica adventitia?

A

Protection and the prevention of over-extension of the blood vessel

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4
Q

What kind of tissue makes up the tunica media?

A

Fenestrated elastic fibres and smooth muscle

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5
Q

Which dye can be used to highlight the fenestrated elastic fibres in the tunica media?

A

Millers stain

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6
Q

What is the functional significance of the fenestrated elastic fibres and smooth muscle which make up the tunica media?

A

Fenestrated elastic fibres allow for shock absorption, the fenestrae allow for diffusion and smooth muscle allows for vasoconstriction and vasodilation

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7
Q

What kind of epithelium lines the tunica intima?

A

Endothelium (simple, squamous epithelium)

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8
Q

What is the functional significance of the endothelium which lines the tunica intima?

A

Endothelium provides low frictional resistance to allow for smooth blood flow

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9
Q

What are the three main anatomical classifications of arteries?

A

Elastic arteries
Muscular arteries
Arterioles

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10
Q

What is the function of elastic arteries?

A

Elastic arteries conduct blood at high pressures

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11
Q

How does the structure of elastic arteries accommodate their function?

A

Elastic arteries contain more elastic fibres within their tunica media which allows for extra shock absorption when conducting blood at such high pressure

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12
Q

Give two examples of elastic arteries

A

Aorta
Pulmonary trunk

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13
Q

What are vasa varosum?

A

Vasa varosum are small blood vessels within the tunica adventitia of large arteries which provide nutrients to the tunica adventitia and tunica media

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14
Q

What is the function of muscular arteries?

A

Muscular arteries regulate the blood flow to different tissues through vasodilation and vasoconstriction based on the body’s level of activity

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15
Q

How does the structure of muscular arteries accommodate their function?

A

Muscular arteries contain more smooth muscle in their tunica media for vasoconstriction and vasodilation to control blood flow to different tissues based on the body’s level of activity

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16
Q

What is the extra layer found between the tunica intima and tunica media in muscular arteries?

A

Internal elastic lamina

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17
Q

What classifies an artery as an arteriole?

A

An artery is classified as an arteriole if it has less than five layers of smooth muscle in its tunica media

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18
Q

What is the function of arterioles?

A

Arterioles provide resistance to blood flow to decrease the blood pressure in order to regulate the volume of blood entering the capillaries

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19
Q

What are metarterioles?

A

Metarterioles are arterioles which have only one layer of smooth muscle in their tunica media

20
Q

What is a pre-capillary arteriovenous shunt?

A

A pre-capillary arteriovenous shunt is a connection between an arteriole and venule which bypasses the capillary bed

21
Q

What is an arterial portal shunt?

A

A connection between two arterioles which allows blood to pass through one capillary bed followed by another capillary bed before entering the venous system

22
Q

What is a venous portal shunt?

A

A connection between two venules which allows blood to pass through one capillary bed followed by another capillary bed before entering the arterial system

23
Q

What are the functions of capillaries?

A

Capillaries are tiny blood vessels which connect arterioles and venules to allow for the exchange of oxygen, nutrients and waste materials between blood and tissues

24
Q

What is the general structure of a capillary?

A

A capillary consists of a tunica intima layer with associated pericytes

25
Q

What are the functions of pericytes?

A

Pericytes are undifferentiated cells which can differentiate into any other cell type and contribute to capillary repair

26
Q

What are the three anatomical classifications of capillaries?

A

Continuous capillaries
Fenestrated capillaries
Sinusoids

27
Q

How does the structure of continuous capillaries accommodate their function?

A

The endothelium lining of continuous capillaries has junctional complexes which allow for a varying degrees of permeability depending on which tissue type the capillaries are located in

28
Q

How does the structure of fenestrated capillaries accommodate their function?

A

Fenestrated capillaries have openings within their endothelial lining called fenestrae which allow for increased permeability

29
Q

What is the difference between open and closed fenestrated capillaries?

A

In open fenestrated capillaries, the fenestrae are uncovered however closed fenestrated capillaries have a diaphragm covering their fenestrae

30
Q

Give an example of an organ that contains open fenestrated capillaries

A

Kidneys

31
Q

Give an example of an organ that contains closed fenestrated capillaries

A

Intestines

32
Q

How does the structure of sinusoids accommodate their function?

A

Sinusoids have a discontinuous endothelium with no basal lamina, creating large gaps for high permeability

33
Q

Give two example of organs which contain sinusoids

A

Liver
Spleen

34
Q

What is the main function of the venous system?

A

Capacitance (storage) of blood

35
Q

What are the two anatomical classifications of venules?

A

Post capillary venules
Muscular venules

36
Q

What is the main function of post capillary venules?

A

Post capillary venules allow for diapedesis to occur

37
Q

How does the structure of post capillary venules accommodate their role in diapedesis?

A

Post capillary venules only have an tunica intima layer with endothelial cells which have junctional complexes to allow white blood cells to move from the bloodstream into surrounding tissues

38
Q

(T/F) Post capillary venules are surrounded by pericytes

A

TRUE.

39
Q

What is the function of muscular venules?

A

Muscular venules are capacitance (storage) blood vessels

40
Q

What is the distinguishing feature of large peripheral veins?

A

Large peripheral veins have valves

41
Q

What is the function of valves in large peripheral veins?

A

Valves prevent the backflow of blood

42
Q

What is the thickest histological layer of large central veins?

A

Tunica adventitia

43
Q

What is unique about the tunica media layer of large central veins?

A

As large central veins approach the heart, the smooth muscle within the tunica media layer transitions to cardiac muscle

44
Q

Give two examples of large central veins

A

Cranial vena cava
Caudal vena cava

45
Q

How do you differentiate veins and arteries in histology?

A

Veins:
Thin walls
Larger lumen
Valves

Arteries:
Thick walls
Smaller lumen
Internal elastic lamina

46
Q

What are the four histological features of lymphatic vessels?

A

Tunica intima
Valves
Thinner walls than veins
Contain lymph