Vascular biology I

Question 1

What are the layers of the blood vessel?

Answer 1

1. Tunica intima
2. Tunica media
3. Tunica adventitia

Question 2

What makes up the tunica intima?

Answer 2

1. Endothelium
2. Basal lamina
3. Subendothelial layer

Question 3

What makes up the subendothelial layer?

Answer 3

1. Loose connective tissue
2. Scattered fibroblasts and in some arteries, smooth muscle cells
3. Internal elastic lamina

Question 4

What makes up the internal elastic lamina?

Answer 4

Elastin

Question 5

What is the purpose of the fenestrae in the internal elastic lamina?

Answer 5

Diffusion of substances

Question 6

Which blood vessel layer is fenestrated?

Answer 6

Internal elastic lamina

Question 7

What makes up the tunica media?

Answer 7

1. Concentric layers of smooth muscle cells
2. Variable amounts of elastin, elastic fibers, reticular fibers, proteoglycans
3. External elastic lamina (elastin)

Question 8

What makes up the tunica adventitia?

Answer 8

1. Connective tissue
2. Type I collagen
3. Elastic fibers
4. Fibroblasts

Question 9

The vasa vasorum contributes to what inflammatory condition of blood vessels?

Answer 9

Atherosclerosis

Question 10

In syphilis, what component of the blood vessel becomes inflamed?

Answer 10

Vasa vasorum

Question 11

How does inflammation of the vasa vasorum contribute to the pathogenesis of syphilis?

Answer 11

Obliteration of vasa vasorum leads to focal necrosis and scarring of the tunica media and degeneration of elastic lamellae

Question 12

What is the nervi vasorum?

Answer 12

Network of autonomic nerve fibers supplying the vessel

Question 13

Where are the nerve endings found on a blood vessel?

Answer 13

In the tunica adventitia (usually do not penetrate media but sometimes can)

Question 14

Are the nerve fibers of blood vessels sympathetic or parasympathetic?

Answer 14

Usually sympathetic

Question 15

What type of junctional complex exists between endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells?

Answer 15

Gap junction

Question 16

Weibel-Palade bodies are found in what type of cell?

Answer 16

Endothelial cell

Question 17

What is contained in Weibel-Palade bodies?

Answer 17

1. von Willebrand factor
2. Tissue plasminogen activator
3. Interleukin 8
4. P-selectin

Question 18

Do endothelial cells promote coagulation, inhibit coagulation, or both?

Answer 18

Both

Question 19

What kind of forces contribute to segmental modeling of vessels?

Answer 19

Mechanical and metabolic

Question 20

Do elastic lamellae increase with age?

Answer 20

Yes

Question 21

What happens to vessels in Marfan syndrome?

Answer 21

Severe elastic medial fragmentation with GAG area

Question 22

What happens to the intima with age?

Answer 22

Progressive intimal fibrosis (thickening) and alterations of elastic elements

Question 23

Is there a true tunica media in capillaries?

Answer 23

No

Question 24

Is there a tunica adventitia in capillaries?

Answer 24

No

Question 25

What are characteristics of pericytes?

Answer 25

1. Mesenchymal cells
2. Contractile
3. Can transform into smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts, for example
4. Contribute to scar formation in CNS and possibly other organs
5. Relatable to tunica media in capillaries