Blood vessels Flashcards
What are the three types of vessels?
ARTERIES - carry blood away from heart. (oxygenated except in pulmonary circulation)
CAPILLARIES - connect arteries and veins. Contact point with tissue and site of exchange of materials.
VEINS - carry blood towards heart. (deoxygenated except for pulmonary)
What are the three layers in arteries and veins?
tunica intima
tunica media
tunica externa
What layers do capillaries have?
they only have one:
tunica intima
What is the lumen?
The fluid filled cavity in the center of the vessel
Describe the structure and function of the tunica intima.
endothelium lines the lumen of all vessels (simple squamous epithelium)
In vessels > 1mm, a sub endothelial connective tissue basement membrane is present (loose connective tissue)
FUNCTION: reduce friction on the surface.
Describe the structure and function of the tunica media.
Circular smooth muscle and sheets of elastin
Sympathetic vasomotor nerve fibers control vasoconstriction/vasodilation of vessels.
FUNCTION: controls diameter of the vessel.
Describe the structure and function of the tunica externa.
Loose network of collagen fibers protect and reinforce.
contain nerves, lymph vessels and blood vessels (larger vessels have vasa vasorum)
In large veins has elastin fibers to allow stretch
FUNCTION: anchors and reinforces vessel.
What are the three types of arteries?
Elastic (conducting) arteries
Muscular (distributing) arteries
Arterioles
Describe the function and structure of the elastic (conducting) arteries.
closest to heart (ex aorta)
large, thick walled. Abundant elastin and smooth muscle.
Large lumen offers low resistance and smooth muscle resists high pressure but vessel doesn’t play a role in vasoconstriction.
FUNCTION:provide low resistance pathway
Act as pressure reservoirs (expand and recoil as blood is ejected from heart)
Describe the function and structure of muscular (distributing) arteries.
deliver body to organs (further from heart than elastic)
have thick tunica with more smooth muscle, less stretchy.
FUNCTION: vasoconstriction, control blood flow to different parts of the body.
Describe the function and structure of arterioles:
smallest arteries that lead to capillary beds
tunica media has smooth muscle with few elastin fibers (can be very thin)
FUNCTION: control flow into capillary beds by dilating/constricting
What are the two types of arterioles?
terminal arteriole - lead to capillaries
metarteriole - connect arterioles and venules
- connect to the thorough fare channel
Describe the structure of capillaries
Microscopic blood vessels: only a single RBC can pass at a time
Walls are thin tunica intima, one cell thick squamous epithelial cells.
pericytes: smooth muscle like cells reinforce capillary wall and control permeability.
Where can you find capillaries?
in all tissue except cartilage, epithelium, cornea and lens
What are the three types of capillaries? (structural types)
CONTINUOS CAPILLARIES
FENESTRATED CAPILLARIES
SINUSOIDAL CAPILLARIES
Describe the continuous capillaries.
SKIN AND MUSCLES (abundant)
tight junctions connect endothelial cells (no gaps in wall)
intercellular clefts allow passage of fluids and small solutes.
IN THE BRAIN:
tight junctions are complete forming the blood-brain barrier
Describe the fenestrated capillaries.
some of the endothelial cells contain pores called fenestrations.
more permeable than continuous capillaries
FUNCTION: absorption or filtrate formation
found in small intestines, kidneys, and endocrine glands.
Describe the sinusoidal capillaries.
Contain fewer tight junctions, has larger intercellular clefts and larger lumens.
Usually fenestrated.
FUNCTION: allow blood cells and large molecules to pass
found in: liver, bone marrow, and spleen.
What are capillary beds?
they are interwoven networks of capillaries that form the microcirculation between arterioles and venules
What are the two types of vessels in the capillary beds?
VASCULAR SHUNT (metarteriole - thoroughfare channel; both of them that form the bypass): no exchange with tissue.
TRUE CAPILLARIES: carry out exchanges with tissue
What regulates the control of blood flow into true capillaries?
precapillary sphincters
These capillaries are regulated by local chemical conditions and vasomotor nerves.
Why is the blood flow in the capillaries so slow?
to allow for more effective exchange of materials with tissues.
What are the two types of structures in the Venous system?
Venules
Veins
Describe the structure and function of venules.
they are the exit when capillary beds unite (opposite of arterioles)
very porous: allow fluids and WBCs to pass into tissues
post capillary venules consist of endothelium and a few pericytes
Larger venules have one or two layers of smooth muscle cells
FUNCTION: collect blood from the capillaries
Describe the structure and function of veins.
Formed when venules converge
thinner walls, larger lumens, and lower BP compared to arteries.
Thin tunica media and thick tunica externa of collagen and elastic networks (stretchy)
FUNCTION: act as blood reservoirs.
What is a venous valve?
Valves in the veins that prevent the backflow of blood
most abundant in veins of the limbs
What is varicose veins?
When the valves in the veins are leaky.
What are venous sinus? Give two examples
Flattened veins with extremely thin walls of endothelium
CORONARY SINUS: collets deoxygenated blood from cardiac veins
DURAL SINUS: collects blood draining from the brain.
What are vascular anastomoses?
interconnections of blood vessels.
3 types:
ARTERIAL ANASTOMOSES: provide collateral channels. Common at joints, abdominal organs, brain, and heart.
ARTERIOUVENOUS ANASTOMOSES: connection between arteries and veins. Ex vascular shunt in capillaries.
VENOUS ANASTOMOSES: vein to vein. very common
What is blood flow?
Volume of blood flowing through a vessel, organ, or the entire circulation in a given minute.
mL/min
Relatively constant at rest
What is blood pressure?
Force per unit are exerted on the wall of a blood vessel by the blood.
expressed in mm Hg
What drives blood flow?
the pressure gradient
blood flows from high to low pressure
What is resistance (peripheral resistance)?
the opposition to flow. (friction)
What are the three most important sources of resistance in blood vessels?
Blood viscosity: inc viscosity -> inc resistance
Total blood vessel length: inc length -> inc resistance
Blood vessel diameter: dec diameter -> inc in resistance
How does resistance vary with vessel radius?
inversely to the 4th power
Ex if radius is halved, resistance is increased by 16 times
What is the major determinant in peripheral resistance?
small diameter arterioles.
What is the relationship between blood flow and blood pressure and between blood flow and resistance?
Blood flow is directly proportional to the pressure gradient: inc pressure -> inc blood flow
Blood flow is inversely proportional to resistance: inc resistance -> dec blood flow
Why is resistance more important in regulating local blood flow?
because it is more easily changed by altering the blood vessel diameter.