L9 Flashcards
what is the structure of a capillary wall
a basement membrane and a endothelial cell layer
what is the primary function of the capillaries
Primary function: exchange of nutrients and metabolic end products
do capillaries have smooth muscle associated with them
no but endothelial cells still contain actin/myosin
what % of total blood volume is in the capillaries
6%
how is capillary circulation adaptable
there are several routes between arterioles and venules.
the pathway that the RBC take is controlled by local metabolic factors
precapillary sphincters and metarterioles
main factor is metabolic demands
what are precapillary sphincters
bands of smooth muscle in the capillaries
what are metarterioles
i think they are the bits of capillary that blood can be shunted down
how big is the capillary network
it is very dense and is so big that in a adult they extend 40 000km
what is angiogenesis
increased capillary networks
it is a way that the body adapts to meet metabolic demands
what is the purpose of angiogenesis
increased capillaries = reduced diffusion distance
what is the relationship between angiogenesis and cancer cells
it enables the growth of cancer
this is because cancer cells have high metabolic demands. if the cancer cells are close to the capillaries then they send signals for more capillaries to be formed.
the increases capillary number means that the cancer cells have more nutrients for their metabolic demands allowing then to grow
A new therapy is working to try and stop the capillary growing to starve the cancer cells
what forces regulate fluid exchange across the capillary
starling’s forces
what are starling’s forces
capillary hydrostatic pressure (perfusion pressure)
interstitial hydrostatic pressure
capillary osmotic force due to plasma protein concentration (albumina)
intestinal osmotic force due to interstitial fluid protein concentration
which of starlings forces drive fluid out of the capillaries
capillary hydrostatic pressure (perfusion pressure)
and
osmotic force due to interstitial fluid protein concentration (interstitial osmotic force)
which of starlings forces drive fluid into of the capillaries
interstitial hydrostatic pressure
osmotic force due to plasma protein concentration (albumina) (osmotic capillary)
how d you find out what direction (the balance) fluid is moving in
ballance = out - in
capillary hydrostatic pressure and osmotic force due to interstitial fluid protein concentration
interstitial hydrostatic pressure and osmotic force due to plasma protein concentration
what are the most important determinants of fluid movement
capillary hydrostatic pressure and osmotic force due to plasma protein concentration
what is the resting value for capillary hydrostatic pressure in the arterioles
35 mmHg out
what is the resting value for interstitial hydrostatic pressure in the arterioles
0 mmHg
what is the resting value for osmotic force due to plasma protein concentration in the arterioles
cappilary osmotic pressure
28 mmHg into
what is the resting value for osmotic force due to interstitial fluid protein concentration in the arterioles
interstitial osmotic force
3 mmHg out