Microcirculation Flashcards
What are the two types og substance exchange in Micorcirculation?
- diffusion
2. filtration/resorption (Starling forces)
What do the two types of material exchange in the microcirculation determine?
The rate of delivery of nutrients to the tissues and the rate of the metabolite transport from the tissues.
What happens if the precapillary sphincter is closed?
There is no filtration, but resorption is possible.
Morphology of the Microcirculation:
Arterioles (+- 20um) –> then metarterioles (rich in smooth muscle) –> precapillary sphincters –> Capillaries
- Capillaries are running into venules, then veins carry the blood back to the heart.
- Some shunts also exist between arterioles and venules (creating arteriovenous anastomosis)
How many % of the capillaries are open during rest?
5-10%
Microcirculatory bed gives also room for?
Dead-end lumph vessels, collecting surplus EC fluid into the circulation.
Materials needed for Exchange of substances during diffusion
- gas exchange
- water/ion exchange
- small substances
What are the types of Exchange of substances with diffusion?
- Flow limited (small substances)
- Diffusion limited (bigger molecules)
What are the factors influencing diffusion?
- Concentration gradient
- Permeability
- surface of the capillary
- time available for the diffusion
The extent of gas diffusion depends on?
Partial Pressure
- that drops towards the end of the capillary and toeards the distant cells.
What happens with higher O2 consumption of a tissue?
The faster the drop of the pO2 will be (partial pressure oxygen)
- This will lead to hypoxia
What does Hypoxia mean?
It results in the involvment of more (resting) capillaries.
This local autoregulation is a very important way of insuring an even distribution of gases, and nutrients, in a tissue.
Hypoxia happens when the O2 consumption of a tissue gets higher, which leads to faster drop of pO2.
What happens with the diffusion when there is higher need for O2 in the tissue?
Higher need for O2 in the tissue, faster the blood flow, so the average time spent in the capillary will be too short for optimal gas-exchange.
- that lack of O2 turns on regulatory mechanisms, mo more capillaries will be connected into the microcirculation, more sphincter will open, larger capillary space will be active.
What is Partial Pressure?
It is the individual pressure exerted independently by a particular gas within a mixture of gases.
What are the major forces (Starling forces) of the Exchange of Substances with Filtration/Reabsorption?
- Hydrostatic pressure difference (Ph)
- Permeability
- The oncotic pressure (Ponc)
- The pressure of the surrounding tissue (Pinterst)