Microcirculation Flashcards
Where is there microcirculationand what is it?
It can be found in every organ system.
-it is a branch from the arteriole system and entering to thhat specific tissue
What equation connects blood flow, pressure difference and resistance?
Flow rate = pressure difference/resistance
What factors affect vascular resistance?
Vessel radius, vessel length, blood viscosity
what is the major resistance vessels?
ARTERIOLES
What is the relationship between resistance and radius?
Poiseuille’s law: resistance is inversely proportional to r^4
Why can change in blood pressure be substituted by MAP?
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.
what changes between organs and tissues for
F= pressure gradient/ Resistance
The resistance changes between organs and tissues
What is the normal state of vascular smooth muscle and why is this necessary?
They are normally in a state of partial vascular constriction - vascular tone.
-This is partial constriction so vessels can constrict and dilate.
What are the two controls of vessel radius?
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
Describe how vessel radius responds to the chemical environment.
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.
Describe how vessel radius responds to the physical environment.
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.
How can the flow rate, pressure difference and resistance equation be applied to the entire circulation?
Flow rate is cardiac output, pressure difference is mean arterial blood pressure and resistance is total peripheral resistance. CO = MABP/TPR
What are the two pathways controlling arterial blood pressure?
Neural and Hormonal Pathways
Where is the centre that regulates arterial blood pressure found?
In the medulla - cardiovascular control centre
Describe the neuronal control of arterial blood pressure.
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
Describe the hormonal control of arterial blood pressure.
Main hormones involved in blood pressure: Angiotensin II Vasopressin These are both potent vasoconstrictors Adrenaline/noradrenaline
What is capillary exchange?
Delivery of metabolic substrates to the cells of an organism
What tissues have a high capillary density?
Skeletal muscle, myocardium, brain, lungs
What are the three main types of capillary and how do they differ?
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
What is the most common type of capillary?
Continuous
How is the blood brain barrier different to other capillaries?
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
What is the name given to hydrostatic pressure and plasma osmotic pressure?
Starling’s Forces
What is the name given to hydrostatic pressure and plasma osmotic pressure and what is the relevance of it?
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.
what is the significance of the fact that ultra filtration is more effective than re absorption and how is this solved?
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.
Describe some characteristics of the lymphatic system.
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
