Lecture 8 - Blood Vessels Flashcards
What is referred to as the plumbing of the heart?
Blood vessels
Delivery of Oxygen and Nutrients to the body
What are all blood vessels lined with?
SLIPPERY,SMOOTH surface of ENDOthelium (thin flattened layer of cells)
What is the role of Elastin Fibres?
Allow vessels to stretch
What is the role of Smooth Muscle Fibres?
Smooth Muscle Fibres are wrapped AROUND vessels allowing the DIAMETER to be ADJUSTED
What is the role of Collagen Fibres?
Collagen Fibres are TOUGH, INelastic STRANDS which PREVENT the vessel wall from STRETCHING to the point of RUPTURE
What is the role of Arteries?
Arteries carry blood away from the heart
Arteries have plenty ELASTIC fibres so have High COMPLIANCE - so walls can Easily STRETCH or EXPAND . and the walls are also THICKER as there is more pressure
heart has LARGE ELASTIC arteries, which divide into MEDIUM size MUSCULAR arteries which BRANCH OUT into various regions of the body (gradual (charge or vessel))
What sort of arteries does the Heart consist of?
LARGE ELASTIC arteries, which divide into MEDIUM size MUSCULAR arteries which BRANCH OUT into various regions of the body (gradual (charge or vessel)
What are Elastic Arteries?
also called CONDUCTING arteries
Elastic Arteries are the FIRST VESSELS which LEAVE the heart (first 15 cm)
they are GREATER than >1cm (FINGER size)
What is the Function of Elastic Arteries?
- very LARGE arteries NEAR the heart which have ELASTIC WALLS
- during SYSTOLE (contraction) the heart is trying to Reduce Volume, generating More Pressure. Elastic arteries EXPAND to STORE the BOLUS of blood Leaving the ventricle. The KE from contraction is converted and STORED as ELASTIC ENERGY.(for use in diastole)
- during DIASTOLE (relaxation) elastic arteries PUSH blood OUT into the ARTERIAL TREE by ELASTIC RECOIL of the elastiN SHEETS in the elastic artery wall. Elastic Energy is converted to KINETIC ENERGY. SMOOTHS out the PULSATILE nature/flow of pump/blood Leaving the Ventricles. Will only pump in SHORT SPURTS every second with the elastic arteries expanding and contracting to accommodate that.
(PRESSURE ABSORBER)(rigid pipes would transmit pressure through the arterial tree, and your Capillaries CANNOT HANDLE High Pressure)
What is the Structure of Elastic Arteries?
THIN SHEETS of ELASTIN in the MIDDLE tunic
acts as a PRESSURE RESERVOIR
Elastin has a Higher Proportion of Elastic Fibres (layers of up to 50 SHEETS of elastin fibres)-good at storing elastic energy and recoiling
Walls THIN comparatively
Which is easier to see, arteries or veins?
arteries
veins collapse and fold onto itself without blood
What is the first branch of the aorta called?
Brachiocephalic artery
What are the main qualitative features of arteries?
rubbery
soft
pliant
What is a bolus?
a “lump” of blood
What is the nature of the cardiovascular pump?
pulsatile nature of blood/pump flow
What do Elastic Arteries Always do?
Elastic arteries ALWAYS are pumping blood down the ARTERIAL TREEE, EVEN during Filling
What is a comparison between Muscular arteries and Elastic arteries?
Muscular Arteries are MORE ABUNDANT than elastic arteries
more common
What are Muscular Arteries?
0.1 - 10mm diameter
pen –> pin
Muscular Arteries as Tunica Media has More SMOOTH MUSCLE and Fewer elastin fibres than Elastic arteries
What is the Function of Muscular Arteries?
“coarsely channel”/DISTRIBUTE blood around the body at HIGH PRESSURE (and the LUNGS at MEDIUM pressure)
very good at DIVERTING blood to WHERE it is NEEDED
BULK Transport
the Rate of blood flow is adjusted via BULK TUNING using SMOOTH MUSCLE (2-40 layers) to VARY the RADIUS of the vessel depending on how much pressure is needed via SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS CONTROL.
Vasoconstriction (narrowing of diameter)
vasodilation (increase in diameter)
Flow is proportional to the FOURTH power of the Radius
therefore a SMALL CHANGE in radius has a LARGE EFFECT on the flow rate
How is the flow of blood calculated in Muscular Arteries?
The flow of blood in MUSCULAR arteries is proportional to the FOURTH POWER of the RADIUS
What is the structure of Muscular Arteries?
consists of 3x TUNICs (outer, middle and inner tunics)
Externa –> Media –> Intima/Interna
What does the Externa consist of?
Tunica EXTERNA =Outer Tunic
consists of ELASTIC and COLLAGEN fibres
What does the Media consist of?
Tunica MEDIA = Middle Tunic
THICKEST layer
is often the FUNCTIONAL layer
consists of SMOOTH Muscle, CT and ELASTIC Fibres
the Smooth Muscle allows for VASOCONSTRICTION/DILATION
What does the Intima/Interna consist of?
INTIMA =intimate
Tunica INTERNA=Inner Tunic
consists of inner ELASTIC LAMINA which is a THIN SHEET of ELASTIN FIBRES \+ BASEMENT MEM. for PHYSICAL SUPPORT \+ ENDOthelium
What is the change like as you go down the arterial tree?
There is a GRADUAL change in histology gradual increase in the properties of the next class of arteries
What does “arteries of the body” refer to?
Muscular arteries
as muscular arteries are more common and more abundant in the body
What is Vasoconstriction?
DECREASE in diameter of arteries
What is Vasodilation?
INCREASE in diameter of arteries
What control is smooth muscle under?
Sympathetic and Parasympathetic control
+
under the right conditions
sympathetic and parasympathetic is involuntary control
What is the function of Arterioles?
Controls blood flow into CAPILLARY BEDS
It is the FINAL place of FINE TUNING the blood before it Enters the CAPPILARIES
- Last Responsibility for CONTROL and have the CORRECT PRESSURE
THIN 10-100microns (HAIR) but have a THICK MUSCULAR wall (HALF the size of the LUMEN), relative to the size of any other blood vessel
undergoes the GREATEST PRESSURE DROP and the GREATEST RESISTANCE to flow
the Degree of Constriction of arterioles determines the TOTAL PERIPHERAL resistance (over ALL(hence total) arterioles), which IMPACTS the MEAN ARTERIAL blood pressure to decide WHICH capillary network the blood goes to
What do arteries often flow beside?
Companion Veins
if the Artery Supplies the organ, the Companion Vein will often Drain the Organ
(flows are Usually similar)
What is the difference between Artery and Vein wall thickness?
Reflects the Influence of PRESSURE
What is the size of red blood cells and what do they look like?
Readily Looked for
9 microns
Black dots
Increase in # of red blood cells = Higher Power