Histology Flashcards
describe the inner layer (tunica intima) of blood vessels?
- single layer of squamous epithelial cells termed endothelial cells
- supported by a basal lamina and a thin layer of connective tissue
describe the middle layer (tunica media) of blood vessels?
- made up of smooth muscle
- thickness of this layer varies
describe the outer layer (tunica adventitia) of blood vessels?
- made of supporting connective tissue
what separates the tunica intima from the media?
- by a layer of elastic tissue called the internal elastic membrane
what separates the tunica media from the tunica adventitia?
- a layer of elastic tissue called the external elastic membrane
what are elastic arteries?
- eg aorta
- they have many sheets of elastic fibres in their tunica media to provide elastic recoil
why do elastic arteries require their own vascular supply? (vasa vasorum)
- in large vessels, only the inner part of the wall can obtain nutrients from the lumen
what is the histology of arterioles?
- 1 or 2 smooth muscle layers in their tunica media
- almost no adventitia
what is the histology of a capillary?
- endothelial cells and a basal lamina
- they often have pericytes (P) at intervals outside the basal lamina, these are connective tissue cells which have contractile properties
what are the 3 types of capillaries?
- continuous
- fenestrated
- sinusoidal or discontinuous
what are continuous capillaries?
- common
- found in muscle, connective tissues, lung, skin, nerve
what are fenestrated capillaries?
- 50nm pores in their walls
- found in mucosa of gut, endocrine glands, glomeruli of kidney
what are sinusoidal or discontinuous capillaries?
- lack a basal lamina and have large gaps in their walls
- found in liver, spleen and bone marrow
what is a microvascular network?
- small arterioles connect to a post capillary venuele though a network made up of metarterioles, throughfare channels and capillaries
- precapillary sphincters, composed of smooth muscle, at the beginning of the capillary help control flow through the network
what is a postcapillary venule?
- where capillary networks drain into
- they are endothelial cell-lined and contain a thin layer of connective tissue and occasional pericytes
- import sites for exchange eg cells moving into the tissue during inflammation
- once the vessels has intermittent smooth muscle in the tunica media layer they are termed venules