Vascular Biology Flashcards
Describe how differences in blood pressure and osmotic pressure determine where fluid flows
Explain the differences between primary and secondary lymphedema and provide examples of how this leads to lymphedema
Define endothelial cells and describe key functions of the cells
Explain how VE-cadherin connects cells
Describe how VE-cadherin is organised in distinct vessel types and explain how this organisation allow function
Define the two processes that occur to form the vascular tree during development
Explain how adhesion decline occurs and provide a disease example where defective endothelial adhesion is a symptom
What is the blood vasculature system
it is a closed circulatory system that transports and exchanges gases and nutrients
what is the lymphatic vasculature system
It returns extravasated fluid and macromolecules back to the blood. I
What are the 3 distinct layers of the tunica
- Inner = Tunica Intima: single layer of endothelial cells and underlying connective tissue (basement membrane)
- Middle = Tunica Media: smooth muscle cells, elastic fibres and connective tissue
- Outer = Tunica Adventitia; perivascular soft tissue, connective tissue, nutrient vessels, and autonomic nerves
What is the structure and function of arteries
- Arteries are thick and have elastic Tunica Media
- Arteries have a high abundance of smooth muscle cells, which can constrict or dilate by contracting
- Arteries have a pulsatile flow with high blood pressure
- Arteries are affected by aging, such as stiffing of the walls and other structures deteriorating
What is the relevance of elasticity in the AORTA
The elastic fibres allow the wall to be extended and recoil in response to cardiac contraction and relaxation.
Loss of the elasticity can lead to thoracic aortic aneurysms and aortic dissection
What is Marfan syndrome and its symptoms
Marfan syndrome has a mutation in the fibrillin1 gene, it causes there to be less Fibrillin which reduces the elastic properties of tissue, which affects all connective tissues, the heart, blood vessels, eyes and the skeleton
What are the structure and functions of veins
- Low pressure
- elastic lamina are absent
- thinner wall than artery
- larger luman than artery
- they have venous valves to prevent backflow
What is the function of venous valves
- Venous valves help the lower extremity veins that need to work against gravity
- valves only open in one direction
- Surrounding muscles assist in the operation of the venous valves by contracting when open and relax when closed