Blood vessels - Arteries + arterioles

Question 1

What are the different types of blood vessels?

Answer 1

Arteries and arterioles, veins, capillaries

Question 2

What are the components of blood vessels?

Answer 2

Elastic fibres, smooth muscles, collagen

Question 3

How do elastic fibres help blood vessels?

Answer 3

Composed of elastin + can stretch and recoil, providing vessel walls with flexibility

Question 4

How does smooth muscle help blood vessels?

Answer 4

Contracts or relaxes, which changes size of lumen

Question 5

How does collagen help blood vessels?

Answer 5

Provides structural support to maintain shape + vol of vessel

Question 6

What type of blood do arteries + arterioles carry + in what direction?

Answer 6

Oxygenated blood away from the heart to the tissues

Question 7

What are the 2 exceptions in arteries + arterioles?

Answer 7

Pulmonary artery = Carries deoxygenated blood from heart to lungs

Umbilical artery = Carries deoxygenated blood from fetus to placenta

Question 8

Explain the artery wall structure:

Answer 8

• Elastic fibres withstand force of blood pumped out + stretch to take larger blood vol
• Elastic fibres recoil between heart contractions to even out flow of blood
• Endothelium (artery lining) is smooth so blood flows easily

Question 9

What is the purpose of arterioles?

Answer 9

Links arteries + capillaries

Have smooth muscle + less elastin in walls than arteries

Question 10

What is vasoconstriction in arterioles?

Answer 10

Muscle in arteriole contracts + constricts vessel, preventing blood flow into capillary

Question 11

What is vasodilation in arterioles?

Answer 11

Muscle in arteriole wall relaxes, blood flows into capillary bed