Anatomy of Blood Vessels

Question 1

3 types of blood vessels

Answer 1

1. arteries
2. veins
3. capillaries

Question 2

arteries

Answer 2

• elastic and thick walled
• palpable pulses
• expand and contract to accommodate larger blood volume (from heart) coming at end of each heart beat
• large arteries expand and recoil to help heart pump blood through body

Question 3

arterioles

Answer 3

• small arteries

- constricted and dilated by sympathetic/parasympathetic NS to control BP

Question 4

peripheral resistance

Answer 4

• varying BP depending on internal/external conditions

- allowed for via contraction + dilation of arterioles

Question 5

veins

Answer 5

• thinner walled, under less pressure from heart –> no pulses
• internal walls open toward heart, close at end of heartbeat to prevent blood flowing backward as returned to heart

Question 6

compliance

Answer 6

• characteristic of veins: have stretch with little recoil

- allows veins to hold largest amt of blood in cardiovascular system

Question 7

lumen

Answer 7

opening in center of blood vessel

Question 8

3 layers of blood vessel tissue

Answer 8

1. tunica externa
2. tunica media
3. tunica intima

Question 9

tunica externa

Answer 9

• superficial outer layer of blood vessel

- anchors vessel to surrounding structures

Question 10

tunica media

Answer 10

• middle muscular layer of blood vessel

- has external elastic membrane, layer of smooth muscle, and internal elastic membrane

Question 11

tunica intima

Answer 11

• internal layer of blood vessel

- contains endothelium + layer of subendothelial tissue

Question 12

capillaries

Answer 12

• narrower tubes branching off of arterioles

- interconnect to form capillary beds

Question 13

capillary beds

Answer 13

where materials exchanged with cells

Question 14

venules

Answer 14

• small veins that collect blood from capillary beds

- bring blood to a large vein that returns it to heart