Blood Vessels Flashcards
1
Q
3 Classes of blood vessels
A
- Arteries: Carry blood away from heart (become progressively smaller as they branch - finally result in capillaries)
- Capillaries
- Veins: return blood to the heart & become progressively larger as they merge and are closer to heart
2
Q
Blood Vessel Tunics ( 3 layers)
-vasa vasorum
A
- Tunica Externa (adventitia): CT that helps anchor blood vessel to organ
Vasa Vasorum: Small network of arteries that supply blood to tunica externa
2.Tunica media: comprised of circularly arranged smooth muscle
-sympathetic input = vasoconstriction
-parasympathetic input = vasodilation - Tunica Intima (interna): composed of an endothelium (simple squamous lining inside of arteries and veins) and a subendothelial layer of areola CT
3
Q
Blood Vessel tunics - differences between artery and vein
A
- Vein has thin media layer, but very thick externa
- also has extensions of endothelial lining called valves that prevent the backflow of blood to lower parts of the body
- Arteries: need to maintain high pressure - have v. narrow lumen (space for blood to travel) and very thick media.
- When no blood in vein, it collapses (due to thin media)
4
Q
Types of arteries (3)
A
- Elastic arteries
- Muscular arteries
- Arterioles
5
Q
Elastic Arteries
A
- Largest of arteries
- most near the heart
- Elastic fibers present in all three tunics allows these arteries to stretch under the increased pressure generated by bloodflow from the heart
- branch into muscular arteries
-e.g. aorta, pulmonary, brachiocephalic, common carotids, subclavians
6
Q
Muscular Arteries
A
- Medium diameter arteries
- Possess elastic fibers in 2 concentric rings between the three tunics;
1. Internal elastic lamina (separates tunica intima & tunica media)
2. External elastic lamina (separates tunica media & tunica externa) - Have a proportionately thicker tunica media
7
Q
Arterioles
A
- smallest arteries
- less than 6 cell layers of smooth muscle in tunica media
- sympathetic innervation causes vasoconstriction (elevation of blood pressure)
- parasympathetic innervation causes vasodilation (lowering of blood pressure)
8
Q
Capillaries
A
- Smallest of all blood vessels
- Diameter only slightly larger than an erythrocyte
- wall = only tunica intima
- only type of blood vessel where metabolic exchange can occur between blood and cells outside of the bloodstream
9
Q
Capillary Beds
- metarteriole
- thoroughfare channel
- postcapillary venule
- true capillaries
A
- Formed from capillaries (10-100)
- Fed by a metarteriole (vessel branch of arteriole) - proximal end surrounded by smooth muscles, while distal end (called thoroughfare channel) lacks smooth muscles
- Thoroughfare channel connects to a postcapillary venule (start of vein system)
- Branches from metarteriole that begin w/ ring of smooth muscles of their walls = true capillaries
10
Q
Types of Capillaries (3)
A
- Continuous: most common type - endothelial cells form a continuous and complete lining, aided by presence of tight junctions
- Fenestrated: endothelial cells possess small holes to allow fluid exchange between blood and interstitial fluid (i.e. glomerulus)
- allows small molecules such as nutrients to release
- Sinusoid: have big gaps between endothelial cells that promotes transport of large molecules & cells to & from blood
- In liver and some lymphatic tissues & spleen
11
Q
Veins - what they do, function
-pressure compared to arteries
A
- blood vessels that drain capillaries & return blood back to heart
- Pressure in veins much lower than in arteries
- at rest, holds about 60% of body’s blood
- function as blood reservoirs
12
Q
Veins -size
- small, medium & large
- valves
- skeletal muscles’ role
A
- larger than venules
- smaller & medium sized travels w/ muscular arteries
- large veins travel w/ elastic arteries
- possess valves b/c blood pressure in veins too low to overcome force of gravity
- formed from tunica intima (prevent blood from pooling in limbs)
- skeletal muscles assist - as they contract, also pump blood towards heart (SKELETAL MUSCLE PUMP)
13
Q
Venules - what they are
- where located
- Diapedesis
A
- smallest veins
- smallest ones located at distal end of capillary bed & called postcapillary venules
- Diapedesis (migration of leukocytes from bloodstream to body) occurs through walls of postcapillary venules
- merge to form veins
14
Q
Blood Pressure -what it is
- Systolic vs diastolic
- how expressed
A
- Is the force per unit area that blood places on the inside wall of a blood vessel
- systolic pressure > dialostic pressure due to force of ventricle contraction
- expressed as ratio: numerator = systolic, denominator = diastolic
- average adult = 120/80 mmHg
- pressure produced in ventricles of heart
- pressure decreases as go further through network
15
Q
Factors that affect blood pressure (5)
A
- Increased blood volume
- increased cardiac output
- vasoconstriction
- some medicines & drugs (can either increase or decrease)
- overweight or less healthy tend to have increased blood pressure