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CARDIO-RESPIRATORY > Cardiovascular System Histology > Flashcards

Cardiovascular System Histology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 3 layers of blood vessels?

A

Tunica intima, media and adventitia (or serosa)

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2
Q

Outline the general composition of the tunica intima

A

Endothelium layer, layer of loose CT and internal elastic lamina (separates from tunica media)

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3
Q

Outline the general composition of the tunica media

A

Circular layer of smooth muscle (contraction regulates blood flow), supporting ECM (collagen and elastic fibres) and external elastic lamina (separates from adventitia)

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4
Q

Outline the general composition of the tunica adventitia

A

Loose CT, vasa vasorum (nutrient arteries) to supply outer portion of large vessels

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5
Q

What are the 3 layers of the heart wall?

A

Endocardium, myocardium and epicardium

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6
Q

Describe the composition of the endocardium

A

Endothelial lining supported by elastic fibrocollagenous tissue (allows stretch)

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7
Q

Describe the composition of the myocardium

A

Cardiac myocytes (intercalated discs connect) supported by vascularised fibrocollagenous tissue

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8
Q

Describe the composition of the epicardium

A

Fibrocollagenous tissue with adipose tissue, act to carry coronary arteries and autonomic nerves

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9
Q

What is mesothelium?

A

Epithelia that lines the pericardium

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10
Q

What are cardiac myoocytes?

A

Short, branching cells with round central nuclei which are connected by intercalated discs (muscle cells of heart)

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11
Q

What is angina?

A

Chest pain at times of increased heart demand

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12
Q

What is myocardial infarction?

A

Heart attack; tissue necrosis due to ischaemia

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13
Q

What is the biggest cause of death in the UK?

A

IHD

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14
Q

Describe what happens to necrotic cardiac muscle following myocardial infarction (heart attack)

A

Necrotic cardiac myoocytes are replaced by a fibrous scar tissue to an acute inflammation response where neutrophils invade the site and cause tissue granulation to form cellular and vascularised loose CT

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15
Q

What are the two main types of artery?

A

Elastic and muscular

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16
Q

How are elastic arteries characterised?

A

Predominance of elastin and little SM in tunica media

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17
Q

Describe the histology of elastic arteries

A

Intima: endothelium, loose CT and internal elastic lamina
Media: concentric fenestrated elastic sheets (merge with int/ext lamina) with smooth muscle and collagen between sheets
Adventitia: loose CT with vasa vasorum

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18
Q

How are muscular arteries characterised?

A

Predominance of smooth muscle in tunica media

19
Q

Describe the histology of muscular arteries

A

Intima: smaller CT layer than elastic artery
Media: circular SM layers
Adventitia: Thick for vessel size with collagen and thicker elastic fibres

20
Q

What is arteriosclerosis?

A

Thickening and loss of elasticity in arterial walls leading to increased PVR and BP, increasing the risk of rupture

21
Q

What is atherosclerosis?

A

Most common pathology of arteriosclerosis and involves formation of yellow, fatty plaques in larger arteries

22
Q

Outline the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis

A

Endothelial damage –> altered endothelial permeability –> LDL and cell adhesion factors present –> monocyte and T cell migration –> accumulation of T cells and lipid-laden foam cells (macrophages) and lipid-laden SM from tunica media –> fatty streak formed –> fibrous cap over plaque toped by endothelia

23
Q

Which cells accumulate lipid in the development of atheromas?

A

Smooth muscle cells and macrophages

24
Q

What type of cell cover atheromatous plaques?

A

Endothelial cells

25
Q

What is a precapillary sphincter?

A

Band of SM at start of capillary (from arteriole) where contraction determined the extent of the capillary bed involved in exchange

26
Q

What are thoroughfare channels?

A

A-V shunts, connects arterioles and venules and relaxation of SM causes the blood to shunt away from capillary bed to venules

27
Q

What are pericytes?

A

Contractile cells which can proliferate to become mesenchymal cells in repair, which can differentiate into new endothelial cells, fibroblasts or myofibroblasts

28
Q

Describe the histology of capillaries

A

Single layer of endothelial cells which don’t have tunica media and have little/no adventitia

29
Q

What are sinusoids?

A

Large diameter capillaries

30
Q

What are the 3 types of capillary?

A

Continuous, fenestrated and discontinuous

31
Q

Describe the structure of continuous capillaries

A

Uninterrupted endothelium on continuous basement membrane (form BBB and are relatively impermeable)

32
Q

Describe the structure of fenestrated capillaries

A

Found at sites of great molecular exchange; have uninterrupted endothelium with circular pores (fenestrae)

33
Q

Describe the structure of discontinuous capillaries

A

Found where blood components interact directly with tissue/organ; endothelium and basement membrane are discontinuous and endothelium is supported by reticulin fibre meshwotk

34
Q

Describe the general structure of veins

A

Large lumen and thin walls

35
Q

What are the two types of venules?

A

Post-capillary and muscle venules

36
Q

Describe the structure of post-capillary venules

A

There are only pericytes surrounding epithelium

37
Q

Describe the structure of muscular venules

A

Continuous smooth muscle (media) and fibrocollagenous adventitia present

38
Q

What is the main role of venules?

A

Major site of leucocyte migration in tissues and venule endothelium is sensitive to histamine –> leakiness

39
Q

Describe the histology of veins

A

Intima: endothelium and CT (elastic fibres)
Media: variable, more circular muscle in legs
Adventitia: thick fibrocollagenous CT with vasa vasorum in larger veins

40
Q

What are valves?

A

Semi-lunar projections of tunica intima consisting of fibro-elastic tissue covered by endothelium

41
Q

What is vasa vasorum?

A

Network of arteries which supply the tunica adventitia of larger blood vessels

42
Q

What is the main type of connective tissue present in the heart walls?

A

Fibrocollageneous connective tissue

43
Q

What is the main difference between elastic and muscular arteries?

A

Muscular have much smooth muscle in tunica media, elastic arteries do not

44
Q

Where are pericytes found?

A

In tunica intima; form discontinuous layer external to the capillary endothelium

CARDIO-RESPIRATORY (25 decks)

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