Histology - Heart and Vessels

Question 1

From the inside to the outside name the layers of a basic blood vessel?

Answer 1

Tunica intima
Internal elastic membrane
Tunica media
External elastic membrane 
Tunica adventitia. Slide 10

Question 2

When large vessels have their own blood supply what are these supporting vessels called?

Answer 2

Vasa Vasorum. Slide 12

Question 3

Arterioles only have one or two layers of smooth muscle. True or False?

Answer 3

True. Slide 13

Question 4

What are pericytes?

Answer 4

Connective tissue cells that have contractile properties. Slide 15

Question 5

What are continuous capillaries usually found in?

Answer 5

Muscle, connective tissue, lung, skin and nerve. Slide 16

Question 6

Where are sinusoidal capillaries usually found?

Answer 6

Liver, spleen and bone marrow. Slide 16

Question 7

What are the components of the microvasculature?

Answer 7

Small arterioles
Postcapillary venule
Metarterioles. Slide 18

Question 8

What is an additional component of the largest veins?

Answer 8

They have bundles of longitudinal smooth muscle incorporated in the tunica adventitia. Slide 20

Question 9

In which vessel is the thickness of the tunica media larger?

Answer 9

Arteries. Slide 22

Question 10

What are the 3 heart layers?

Answer 10

Endocardium, myocardium and epicardium. Slide 24

Question 11

What makes up the endocardium and what is the subendocardium?

Answer 11

Endothelium > Basal Lamina > thin layer of collagen fibres > denser layer of connective tissue.
Subendocardium is an area of loose connective tissue containing small vessels, nerves and branches of the impulse conducting system. Slide 26

Question 12

Where is the nucleus in cardiac muscle cells?

Answer 12

A single or maybe two central nucleus’. Slide 30

Question 13

What are the components of the epicardium?

Answer 13

Single layer of mesothelium > Basal Lamina > Fibroelastic connective tissue. Slide 32

Question 14

What do the chordae tendineae merge with for structure?

Answer 14

They are the collagenous strands attached to the valves and merge with lamina fibrosa. Slide 38

Question 15

What are the 3 types of cardiac muscle cells?

Answer 15

Contractile cells
Pacemaker cells
Conducting cells. Slide 41

Question 16

What do the SA node specialised cells appear as histologically?

Answer 16

Appear pale and have very few myofibrils in them. They are surrounded by an extensive matrix of connective tissue. Slide 42

Question 17

What is important about the fibrous skeleton of the heart in regards to the electrical impulses?

Answer 17

It isolates the atria from the ventricles when beign electrically stimulated. Slide 45

Question 18

Cardiac muscle cells are larger than the purkinje fibre cells. True or False?

Answer 18

False. Purkinje fibres are much larger than the muscle cells. Slide 46

Question 19

Where histologically are the purkinje fibres seen?

Answer 19

Appear pale and are often at the periphery of the cells. Slide 46