Histology: blood vessels

Question 1

what 3 layers make up the vessel wall, in order from lumen outwards

Answer 1

tunica intima, tunica media and tunica externa/adventitia

Question 2

what is the tunica intima made up of

Answer 2

simple squamous epithelium

endothelium + basal lamina + connective tissue

Question 3

what is the tunica media made up of

Answer 3

smooth muscle

Question 4

what is the tunica adventitia made up of

Answer 4

connective tissue

Question 5

what are the blood vessel wall layers separated by

Answer 5

internal and external elastic membrane

Question 6

describe structure of large artery vessel wall(e.g aorta)

Answer 6

significant amount of smooth muscle replaced by elastic fibres

Question 7

describe the structure of capillaries

Answer 7

large to small have decreasing smooth muscle content,

capillaries essentially endothelium only

Question 8

how does the structure of veins vessel walls differ to arteries

Answer 8

veins have thicker adventitia and less smooth muscle in tunica media

Question 9

what is a feature of large veins

Answer 9

they incorporate longitudinal smooth muscle fibres into the adventitia

Question 10

what is a feature often found in smaller veins

Answer 10

valves, which are extensions of the tunica intima