Histology: Blood and Blood Vessels Flashcards
what are the 3 layers of blood vessels (inner to outer)
- tunica intima
- tunica media
- tunica adventitia
describe the tunica intima
single squamous endothelium supported by a basal lamina
describe the tunica media
smooth muscle of varying thickness
describe the tunica adventitia
supporting connective tissue
what separates the 3 layers of blood vessels
internal and external elastic membranes
what are elastic arteries and why is this the case
- larger arteries where the tunica medias smooth muscle is replaced by elastic tissue
- allows for greater elastic recoil
what is Verhoeff’s/Masson Trichome stain
- elastic fibres, black
- collagen, green
- smooth muscle, red
what are vaso vasorum
blood supply to vaso vasorum
describe the layers in an arteriole
- smaller tunica media and therefore less smooth muscle
- almost no adventitia
- control blood flow to tissues
what are capilaries composed of and what are the 3 types
- endothelial cells and basal lamina
- continuous
- fenestrated
- discontinuous
describe a continuous capillary and where its typically found
- continuous
- muscle, nerve, lung, skin
describe a fenestrated capillary and where its typically found
- has small pores
- gut mucosa, endocrine glands, kidney
describe a discontinuous capillary and where its typically found
- has large pores
- liver, spleen, bone marrow
what is the function of pre-capillary sphincters and what are the composed of
- control blood flow through the network
- smooth muscle
describe the path blood takes through the microvasculature
small arteriole -> meta-arteriole -> pre-capillary sphincter -> capillary -> thouroughfare channle -> post-capillary venules
describe the compositin of venules
endothelial cells and thin connective tissue layer
venules are important sites of what
exchange, i.e. inflammation
when are blood vessels classified as venules
when their tunica media has intermittent smooth muscle
when are blood vessels classed as veins
when they have a tunica intima, continuous tunica media and tunica adventitia
what is the tunica adventitia like on the largest veins
thick with longitudinal smooth muscle
what are valves and what is their purpose
inward extensions of the endothelium, prevent backflow of blood
give an overview of blood flow form elastic arteries to large veins
elastic arteries -> arterioles -> small arteriole -> metarteriole -> pre-capillary sphincter -> capillary -> post capillary venule -> venules -> small veins -> big veins