Anatomy and Physiology of Blood Vessels

Main blood vessels connected to the heart

Arteries Veins

Capillaries

General Features of Blood Vessels

All blood vessels, except the very smallest, have three distinct layers or tunics. The tunics surround the central blood-containing space - the lumen.

Veins 1.The innermost layer, the tunica intima (also called tunica interna), is simple squamous epithelium surrounded by a connective tissue basement membrane with elastic fibers. 2.The middle layer, the tunica media, is primarily smooth muscle and is usually the thickest layer. It not only provides support for the vessel but also changes vessel diameter to regulate blood flow and blood pressure. 3.The outermost layer, which attaches the vessel to the surrounding tissue, is the tunica adventitia.

Arteries
Carries blood AWAY form the heart Two main arteries are pulmonary arteries and systemic arteries Pulmonary arteries carry blood from the heart to the lungs where the

blood picks up oxygen. Systemic arteries deliver blood to the rest of the body. Aorta is the main systemic artery and the largest artery of the body. It supply blood to the head region, the heart itself, and the lower regions of the body.

A muscular middle elastic and very strong An inner layer of epithelial cells

- smooth so that blood can flow easily with no obstacles in its path

Veins
The walls of veins have the same three layers as the arteries. Although all the layers are present, there is less smooth muscle and connective tissue.
This makes the walls of veins thinner than those of arteries, which is related to the fact that blood in the veins has less pressure than in the arteries. Because the walls of the veins are thinner and less rigid than arteries, veins can hold more blood.

 Similar structure to arteries

Thinner middle and inner layers, outer

layer is the thickest The lumen is wider than artery Some veins, inner layer folds inward valves to prevent backflow

 Carries blood TO the heart Four main veins are pulmonary, systemic, superficial,

and deep veins.

Pulmonary arteries carry blood from the heart to the lungs

where the blood picks up oxygen. Systemic arteries deliver blood to the rest of the body. Aorta is the main systemic artery and the largest artery of the body. It supply blood to the head region, the heart itself, and the lower regions of the body.

Capillaries
Important exchanges of the circulatory system occurs

here The capillaries are a single cell in diameter to aid fast and easy diffusion of gases, sugars and other nutrients to surrounding tissues.

 A capillary wall is very thin and composed of (endothelium

only) single layer of cells as it does not have to withstand high internal pressure. its very thin and partly because of holes in and between cells in some capillaries (particularly those with high demand of exchange eg endocrine glands)
cell

A capillary wall is often highly permeable, partly because

endothelium (one cell thick)

lumen

 Important exchanges of the circulatory system occurs here The capillaries are a single cell in diameter to aid fast and easy diffusion of gases, sugars and other nutrients to surrounding tissues.

 #1 Arteries

- Carry blood away from the heart - All arteries carry oxygenated blood except for the pulmonary artery
#2 Veins - Carry blood back to the blood. - All veins carry deoxygenated blood except for the pulmonary vein. #3 Blood Capillaries - Carry blood from an arteriole(small artery) to a venule(small vein). - In capillaries, the blood is slowed down, giving more time for the exchange of substances. - They branch repeatedly and provide a large surface area for the exchange of substances between the blood and arteries.