Chapter 19- Blood vessels Flashcards
(119 cards)
“Vaso-“
Vessels
“Vasa-“
Vessels
3 layers of the vessel wall
- Tunica intima
- Tunica media
- Tunica externa
Tunica intima
Innermost layer of the vessel wall. Contains endothelium of simple squamous cells, continuous with the lining of the inside of the heart. It provides slick surface to reduce friction as the blood moves, and helps to increase flow of blood
Tunica media
Middle layer. Contains smooth muscle, and is thicker in arteries than in veins. Function- maintaining blood pressure and circulation
Vasodilation
Dilates blood vessels (lumen becomes larger), which decreases pressure in the blood vessel. Carried out by the tunica media in the blood vessel wall.
Vasoconstriction
Constricts blood vessels (lumen becomes smaller). Less blood can move through, increases blood pressure. Carried out by the tunica media in the blood vessel wall.
Tunica externa
Outermost layer of the blood vessel wall. Contains collagen fibers- protects the blood vessel, anchors blood vessels to surrounding structures. This prevents the blood vessel from twisting.
Vasa vasorum
Found in large blood vessels like the pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein, and aorta. It consists of small blood vessels on the outside of the large blood vessels so the tissue doesn’t die- too much distance for nutrients from the blood to diffuse through.
Arteries
Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. They branch several times to form smaller blood vessels (ex- arterioles). Systemic arteries carry oxygenated blood, pulmonary arteries carry oxygen poor blood.
Types of arteries (3)
- Elastic arteries
- Muscular arteries
- Arterioles
Elastic arteries
Conducting arteries, including the aorta and its largest branches. Three walls contain large amounts of elastin, and expand and recoil as heart pumps blood- blood flows continuously (rather than start-stop start-stop). Importance- maintains blood flow during diastole
How does a large lumen in the blood vessels affect resistance?
A large lumen decreases resistance
Muscular arteries
Distributing arteries that are derived from elastic arteries and have a thicker tunica media. They don’t have much elastic quality, but are very good for vasoconstriction- influences blood pressure
Arterioles
Resistance arteries- these are the smallest arteries. The body can constrict/dilate the arterioles to affect resistance to blood flow into the capillaries. Arterioles flow directly into capillary beds.
Capillaries definition
Exchange vessels. No tunica media or externa, need a thin wall to diffuse materials through. They have an extremely small diameter- RBCs have to pass through single file.
Capillaries function
Contact tissue cells, allow for gas exchange, waste removal, etc. Capillaries are structurally suited for exchange across a thin wall. Cells joined by tight junctions, but have intercellular clefts- allows passage of fluids and small solutes
Types of capillaries (3)
- Continuous capillaries
- Fenestrated capillaries
- Sinusoid capillaries
Continuous capillaries
Most common, but least permeable. Found in the skin and skeletal muscle tissue
Fenestrated capillaries
Large pores, more permeable. Found mostly in places of the body where absorption and filtration is frequent, ex- small intestine and kidneys
Sinusoid capillaries
Least common, but most permeable. They have large intercellular clefts between cells with an incomplete basement membrane and a larger lumen than other capillary types. Found in the liver, spleen, red bone marrow- want blood cells to be able to get out of the red bone marrow through the capillaries
Microcirculation definition
The flow of blood from an arteriole to a venule through a capillary bed.
How does arteriole diameter affect flow into the capillary bed?
Dilation- blood enters capillary bed
Constricted- blood is diverted past the capillary bed. Decreases the amount of blood, but it’s never completely reduced.
How does microcirculation occur?
The terminal arteriole branches several times to form a network of capillaries. Pressure from arterioles controls how much blood flows through the capillary bed, and the capillary bed empties into a postcapillary venule. If blood is provided to capillary beds via arterioles- gas exchange, metabolic waste removal, etc. will occur here