Anatomy of the cardiovascular system

Question 1

At what vertebral level does the mediastinum split into the superior and inferior mediastinum?

Answer 1

T4

Question 2

What is the endocardium mostly comprised of?

Answer 2

Simple squamous epithelium

Question 3

What are valves made of?

Answer 3

Endocardium projecting into the lumen

Question 4

When in the cardiac cycle does blood flow to the coronary arteries to feed the cardiac tissue?

Answer 4

Diastole

Question 5

What are the main attachments of the heart?

Answer 5

Central tendon of the diaphragm
Sternum
Roots of great vessels

Question 6

What secretes the pericardial fluid?

Answer 6

Serious pericardium

Question 7

What are the three layers of blood vessels, and their main components?

Answer 7

Tunica intima - ep., BM and conn tissue
Tunica media - SM
Tunica adventitia - conn tissue

Question 8

What are the three layers of the heart and their main components?

Answer 8

Endocardium - ep., BM and conn tissue
Myocardium - SM
Epicardium - conn tissue, BM and ep.

Question 9

Which vessels act as pressure reservoirs?

Answer 9

Elastic arteries, as they can stretch and recoil overall pressure is maintained in the blood

Question 10

What are the names of the two defined layers of elastic fibres found in muscular arteries?

Answer 10

Internal elastic lamina (IEL)- just under epithelium

External/outer elastic lamina (OEL)- between tunica media and tunica adventitia

Question 11

Which vessels control flow by altering blood pressure?

Answer 11

Arterioles

Question 12

What are capillary walls made up of?

Answer 12

ONLY tunica intima, endothelium on basement membrane

Question 13

What are the three types of capillaries?

Answer 13

Continuous
Fenestrated - pores in endo., complete BL
Discontinuous

Question 14

What types of capillaries are often found in muscles?

Answer 14

Continuous

Question 15

What types of capillary are often found in kidneys and adrenal glands?

Answer 15

Fenestrated

Question 16

What types of capillaries are found in the liver, spleen and bone marrow?

Answer 16

Discontinuous

Question 17

What are sinusoids?

Answer 17

Large diameter discontinuous capillaries found where large amounts of exchange take place e.g. liver, some endocrine glands

Question 18

What are the main differences between superficial and deep veins?

Answer 18

Superficial
  - thick walled
  - no surrounding support
  - drain into deep veins
Deep
  - thin walled
  - surrounding support from deep fascia and     muscles

Question 19

What is the function of the lymphatic system?

Answer 19

Drains tissue fluid lost from the circulation back into the circulation via the subclavian veins

Question 20

Describe the structure of lymphatic capillaries

Answer 20

Blind-ended
Lined by very thin endothelium
No fenestrations
Absent/rudimentary basal lamina