Vascular shunt mechanism Flashcards
(14 cards)
what is the vascular shunt mechanism?
this redistribution of blood flow to the areas where it’s most needed
vasodilation
opening of the veins
vasoconstriction
tightening of the veins
whats the vasomotor control centre (VCC) for?
the distribution of cardiac output
what are the 3 types of blood vessel?
arteries
veins
capillaries
where do the arteries transport blood?
they transport blood away from the heart from the left side of the heart under high pressure
what’s the aorta?
the largest artery in the body
what do the arterioles have?
they have ring of smooth muscle surrounding the entry to the capillary called pre-capillary sphincters.
what do the pre-capillary sphincters do?
they dialate and constrict to control blood flow
where do the veins transport blood?
transport blood all over the body back to the heart and lungs for re-oxygenation under a low pressure
what do veins have?
valves that prevent backflow
what are capillaries?
capillaries are small blood vessels that carry blood to and from the body’s cells
what happens in the capillaries?
diffusion
how many cells thick are capillaries?
one cell thick
