Microcirculation

Question 1

Where is there microcirculationand what is it?

Answer 1

It can be found in every organ system.

-it is a branch from the arteriole system and entering to thhat specific tissue

Question 2

What equation connects blood flow, pressure difference and resistance?

Answer 2

Flow rate = pressure difference/resistance

Question 3

What factors affect vascular resistance?

Answer 3

Vessel radius, vessel length, blood viscosity

Question 4

what is the major resistance vessels?

Answer 4

ARTERIOLES

Question 5

What is the relationship between resistance and radius?

Answer 5

Poiseuille’s law: resistance is inversely proportional to r^4

Question 6

Why can change in blood pressure be substituted by MAP?

Answer 6

The arterial blood pressure is usually MAP and the blood pressure in the veins is usually around 0 mm Hg so the change in blood pressure through a capillary bed is usually around MAP.

Question 7

what changes between organs and tissues for

F= pressure gradient/ Resistance

Answer 7

The resistance changes between organs and tissues

Question 8

What is the normal state of vascular smooth muscle and why is this necessary?

Answer 8

They are normally in a state of partial vascular constriction - vascular tone.
-This is partial constriction so vessels can constrict and dilate.

Question 9

What are the two controls of vessel radius?

Answer 9

Intrinsic controls with the aim of changing perfusion to match metabolic needs. this function may be chemically driven, ACTIVE HYPERAEMIA

Extrinsic controls with the aim of regulating arterial blood pressure. May be physically driven.
AUTOREGULATION

Question 10

Describe how vessel radius responds to the chemical environment.

Answer 10

When tissues are highly metabolically active they will produce a lot of ATP and use up a lot of oxygen. The increase uptake of oxygen is detected by the tissues, which sends a message to the arteriolar smooth muscle to dilate. This is active hyperemia.

Question 11

Describe how vessel radius responds to the physical environment.

Answer 11

When there is a decrease in blood temperature, the vascular smooth muscle will constrict so that less blood reaches the surface and so less heat is radiated away.

Question 12

How can the flow rate, pressure difference and resistance equation be applied to the entire circulation?

Answer 12

Flow rate is cardiac output, pressure difference is mean arterial blood pressure and resistance is total peripheral resistance. CO = MABP/TPR

Question 13

What are the two pathways controlling arterial blood pressure?

Answer 13

Neural and Hormonal Pathways

Question 14

Where is the centre that regulates arterial blood pressure found?

Answer 14

In the medulla - cardiovascular control centre

Question 15

Describe the neuronal control of arterial blood pressure.

Answer 15

The brain controls arterial blood pressure via ADRENORECEPTORS:
Alpha - CONSTRICTION
Beta - Dilation
The sympathetic nervous system can also increase production of catecholamines (noradrenaline and adrenaline) from the adrenal medulla, which binds to increase heart rate and blood pressure

Question 16

Describe the hormonal control of arterial blood pressure.

Answer 16

Main hormones involved in blood pressure:
Angiotensin II 
Vasopressin 
These are both potent vasoconstrictors
Adrenaline/noradrenaline

Question 17

What is capillary exchange?

Answer 17

Delivery of metabolic substrates to the cells of an organism

Question 18

What tissues have a high capillary density?

Answer 18

Skeletal muscle, myocardium, brain, lungs

Question 19

What are the three main types of capillary and how do they differ?

Answer 19

CONTINUOUS - small water filled gap junctions that allow the passage of electrolytes and small molecules (most substances move through endothelial cells) - MOST COMMON
FENESTRATED - slightly bigger gaps allowing slightly larger molecules to pass through e.g. glomerulus
DISCONTINUOUS - large holes in the capillary
e.g. bone marrow, liver

Question 20

What is the most common type of capillary?

Answer 20

Continuous

Question 21

How is the blood brain barrier different to other capillaries?

Answer 21

Continuous capillary
You do NOT have water-filled gap junctions but instead you have TIGHT gap junctions. So access of substances to the brain is tightly regulated.
Not all the capillaries in the blood have this, some have normal capillaries as they need to access materials from it

Question 22

What is the name given to hydrostatic pressure and plasma osmotic pressure?

Answer 22

Starling’s Forces

Question 23

What is the name given to hydrostatic pressure and plasma osmotic pressure and what is the relevance of it?

Answer 23

Starling’s Forces

Fluid goes out and comes back in from the interstitial fluid.

• hydrostatic pressure causes blood to flow at a high speed, and therefore fluid is squeezed out.
• counter pressure oncotic pressure in the blood, due to proteins in the blood which causes fluid to come back in.

Question 24

what is the significance of the fact that ultra filtration is more effective than re absorption and how is this solved?

Answer 24

Means you are always losing fluid from your blood system

• Role of lymphatic system
• wherever there is a blood vessel there is also a lymphatic system.

Question 25

Describe some characteristics of the lymphatic system.

Answer 25

fluid from the tissues enters the lymphatic system.
valves- prevent back flow so fluid is retained inside.
1. get excess fluid
2. immune surveillance
Contains lots of lymph nodes so when blood passes it will cause lymphocytes etc to come.
there are drainage where the fluid goes back to the blood.
Thoracic duct and the subclavian veins.
Consists of blind-ended lymphatic capillaries

All but the right upper quadrant of the body drains via the thoracic duct into the left subclavian vein
The right upper quadrant drains into the left subclavian vein