Exchange and the Lymphatic System Flashcards
How are capillaries suited to diffusion?
- Lots of them so a lot of exchange can go on
- Very small and a large surface area to volume ratio so diffusion increases
What are the two bypass structures in a cap bed?
- Arteriovenous bypass
- Metarterioles
What is the distance between two epithelial cells known as?
Cleft
Which capillaries have large pores?
Fenestrated capillaries
Describe continous capillaries
- Leaky celfts between cells
- No channels
Where would you find specialised continuous capillaries that have no clefts of channels?
- Blood brain barrier
- Blood testes/ovary barrier
Where would you find specialised continuous capillaries that have larger clefts?
Muscle
Where would you find fenestrated capillaries?
Intestine
What are discontinuous capillaries?
Have massive channels and clefts
Where would you find discontinuous capillaries?
Liver
Why are the capillaries in the liver discontinuous?
To allow lots of proteins to enter the bloodstream
What two aspects does clotting involve?
- Formation of a platelet plug
- Formation of a fibrin clot
What is the basement membrane that the capillary sits on made of?
- Collagen
What happens for a clot to begin to form?
Endothelium ruptures
What is the process of a blood clot forming after the endothelium ruptures?
- Collagen that is revealed attracts platelets
- This forms a platelet plug
- Fibrinogen floating in the blood is converted to fibrin by thrombin
- Fibrin plug created
When is the clotting mechanism dangerous?
If it occurs in capillaries where the blood flow is slow and has a higher chance of clotting