SM02 Mini1 Flashcards
function of aorta
maintain blood pressure
function of arteries
distribute blood to & w/in organs
function of arterioles
control flow w/in organs
function of capillaries
metabolic exhange
function of veins & vena cava
buffer blood volume
return blood to heart
tunica initima
single layer of endothelial cells sitting on a basal lamina
**only layer found in capillaries
may contain subendothelial connective tissue of loose connective tissue & scattered smooth muscle cells in larger vessels
tunica media
middle layer composed of mostly smooth muscle cells
**contraction of these cells regulates blood pressure**
also contains elastic fibers, type II collagen, & proteoglycans
tunica adventitia
outer layer of blood vessels
composed mostly of fibroblasts, type I collagen fibers, & longitudinally oriented elastic fbers
continuous w/connective tissue of surrounding elements
vasa vasorum
found in tunica adventita & outer part of media of large vessels
supply blood to outer 1/2 of vascular walls
what are the elastic arteries and what makes them elastic?
biggest arteries: aorta, major branches, & pulmonary arteries
tunica media is formed by intercalated layers of smooth muscle & elastic laminas
why do elastic arteries need to be elastic?
to handle high pressure
Windkessel effect
recoil of distended elastic arteries serve to maintain arterial pressure & flow of blood thru tissues
why are holes present in the elastic lamellae of elastic arteries?
to allow nutrients/O2 to diffuse
allow processes of smooth muscle cells to contact each other across layers to facilitate synchronised contractions
how are the elastic & collagen fibers formed in the tunica media of elastic arteries?
they are synthesized by muscle cells NOT fibroblast as in connective tissue
what cells are used to repair the tunica intima?
tunica media smooth muscle cells in response to the appropriate growth factors from endothelial cells
mechanism of an aortic dissection
- tear in tunica intima
- blood surges into tear separating tunica intima & tunica media
- dissection may then tear aorta completely open→ rapid blood loss→ death
susceptibilies to aortic dissection
chronic HTN creating stress on aortic tissue
Marfan’s syndrome (mutation in fibrillin- major component of elastic fibers) or other connective tissue disorders
defining characteristics for muscular arteries
tunica media dominated by smooth muscle cells
internal elastic lamina/membrane separating tunica intima & tunica media, composed of elastin
larger muscular arteries even have an external elastic lamina between tunica media & adventitia
characteristics of arterioles
no external elastic lamina
very small also do not have internal elastic lamina
media is only 1-2 layers of smooth muscle
very thin tunica adventitia
characteristics of metarterioles
branch from arterioles
discontinuous layer of smooth muscle
where is the smooth muscle found in veins?
tunica adventitia
used to help move blood along
as opposed to arteries where it is in the tunica media
major distinguishing factor between veins & arteries of the same size?
veins will have much smaller tunica media & larger lumen
what are venous valves made of?
tunica intima jutting out into the lumen reinforced w/collagen & elastic fibers
why do deep vein thromboses form when people are immobile?
because the skeletal muscle pump is inactive allowing local coagulation or clotting of blood