Blood Vessels and Circulation Flashcards
5 classes of blood vessels
arteries
arterioles
capilleries
venules
veins
arteries
carry blood away from heart
high pressure
thicker tunica media than tunica externa
small lumen
arterioles
are smallest branches of arteries
little or no tunica
have thin or incomplete tunica media
regulate the distribution of flow of blood to capillary beds
capillaries
small blood vessels
location of exchange between blood and interstitial fluid
venules
collect blood from capillaries
veins
return blood to heart
lower pressure (works against gravity)
thinner: tunica externa thicker than tunica media
larger lumen
has valves
largest blood vessels
pulmonary trunk
aorta
smallest blood vessels
capillaries
tunica externa
outermost layer
elastin and collagen strengthens,
anchor contains nerves and tiny blood vessels
tunica media
middle layer
circular smooth
vaso-constriction/dilation
tunica intima
innermost layer
endothelium
minimize friction
lumen
interior opening of the vessel
capillary network
capillary bed or capillary plexus connect 1 arteriole and 1 venule
capillary sphincter
guards entrance to each capillary
opens and closes, causing capillary blood to flow in pulses
vasomotion
bloodflow in capillary beds constantly change routes
medium sized veins
thin tunica media and frew smooth muscle cells
tunica externa with longitudinal bundles of elastic fibers
large veins
have all 3 tunica layers
thick tunica externa
thin tunica media