blood vessels Flashcards
vessel wall contains large amount of elastic protein fibers
elastic arteries
tunica media consists of 6 or fewer layers of smooth muscle
arterioles
tiny vessels that connect arteries and veins
capillaries
take blood BACK TO the heart
- transport blood low in oxygen and high in carbon dioxide (exception: pulmonary veins)
- compared to arteries, their walls are much thinner and collapsible
- lumen generally much larger than arteries
- blood pressure is lower in veins
veins
take blood AWAY from the heart to other tissues
- transport blood high in oxygen (exception: pulmonary arteries)
- they have a relatively thick, springy wall
- blood pressure is higher in arteries than in veins
arteries
prevent backflow in veins
valves
outermost layer
- areolar connective tissue
- largest layer in veins
tunica externa
opening of veins
lumen
middle layer
- circularly arranged smooth muscle fibers
- largest layer in arteries
- sympathetic innervation typically causes vasoconstriction
tunica media
less elastic than elastic arteries, and more smooth muscle in the tunica media
muscular arteries
left and right brachiocephalic veins (head, neck, upper limbs)
superior vena cava
innermost layer
- endothelium (simple squampus epithelium) and areolar connective tissue
tunica intima
help blood be pushed in veins toward heart
skeletal muscle pumps
heart to elastic arteries to muscular arteries to arterioles to capillaries to venules to veins to heart
pathway of blood
coronary arteries (right and left)
ascending aorta