Cardiovascular System Flashcards
what are the three layers of blood vessels?
tunica intima, tunica media and tunica adventitia
what is the tunica intima made out of?
endothelial lining and connective tissue with an internal elastic lamina
what is the tunica media made out of?
a layer of circumferential smooth muscle and connective tissue and the external elastic lamina
what is the tunica adventitia made out of?
connective tissue fibres
where is the main site of histological specialisation in arteries?
the tunica media
what is it called when the heart contracts?
systole
what type of blood vessels are close to the heart?
elastic arteries
what specialization do elastic arteries have?
thicker tunica intima
does the amount of elastic fibres in arteries increase or decrease with decrease in blood pressure?
decrease
what function does the low blood rate and large surface area in capillaries facillitate?
providing nutrients and oxygen to the surrounding tissue
in the absorption of nutrients, waste products and carbon dioxide
and in the excretion of waste products from the body.
what are capillaries made of?
tunica intima, which consists of the endothelium, its basal lamina and a layer of cells the pericytes
what can regulate blood flow in the capillaries?
pericytes, which have contractile properties
what are the types of capillary?
continuous, fenestrated and discontinuous
what structure do fenestrated capillaries have?
small openings called fenestrations which allow components of the blood and interstitial fluid to bypass the endothelial cells
can fenestration increase/decrease with the capillaries need to absorb/secrete?
yes
