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Blood Vessels

Arteries and Veins

Blood Vessels: Anatomy


Vessels have three layers:
Tunica interna (intima)
in contact with the blood in the lumen of the
vessel
composed of squamous epithelium on a
basement membrane.

Blood Vessels: Anatomy


Vessels have three layers (cont.):
Tunica media
can change diameter of lumen of vessel
composed of smooth muscle covered by
elastic connective tissue arranged in circular
sheets
thickness differs from arteries to veins

Tunica Media with Elastic Fibers

Blood Vessels: Anatomy


Vessels have three layers (cont.):
Tunica externa (adventitia)
Protects and reinforces vessels
Anchors vessels to surrounding structures
composed of woven collagen fibers
may be infiltrated by nerve and lymphatic
vessels

Blood Vessel Types: Arteries


Arteries transport blood AWAY from heart
Largest in diameter
Thick-walled and muscular (more smooth muscle,
less CT)
Arterioles smallest of arteries with small lumens
may have all 3 layers or just tunica intima and
media
Affect blood flow into capillaries
Capillaries smallest vessels with lumens just large
enough to allow blood cells through
lack tunica media and externa
walls one cell thick (squamous) to allow for rapid
gas exchange

Blood Vessel Types: Veins


Venules smallest veins
1 layer or all 3 layers with thin tunica
externa
Veins large lumens
all 3 layers but tunica media is thin
holds up to 65% of blood volume

Arteries vs. Veins

Blood Vessel Valves


Present in all vessels
Needed when blood flow must go
against gravity

Blood Pressure
Created by pressure of blood against
inner wall of vessels
= resistance to flow
Pressure moves from higher to lower
areas
Arteries to veins
Arteries pulsate so have alternating
high/low pressures
Veins do not pulsate so have low pressure
~ 20mm Hg steady pressure

Blood Pressure
BP depends upon how much blood can be pushed
into elastic arteries
Systolic pressure
peak pressure reached as aorta fills with blood
after ventricular contraction
Average = ~ 120 mm Hg
Diastolic Pressure
Is aortic rebound after semilunar valves close
and ventricles relax
Maintains blood pressure in subsequent
vessels
Average = ~ 70mm Hg

Blood Pressure Varies

with age
with health
result: atherosclerosis
hypertension from hardening of arterial walls
arteries lose stretch
fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste
products, calcium and fibrin (a clotting material
in the blood) build up on the inner lining of an
artery
buildup that results is called plaque.
heart has to work harder to push blood into arteries
heart enlarges until contractions produce little
stress on ventricles and you croak off
(Congestive Heart Failure)

Plaque builds up under endothelium may


rupture and expose plaque to clotting factors

How Does Atherosclerosis Begin?


Causes unknown but affected by:
Elevated levels of cholesterol and
triglycerides in the blood
LDLs (low density lipoproteins) carry
cholesterol to artery walls
HDLs carry cholesterol to liver for
breakdown and excretion in bile
High blood pressure
Cigarette smoke

Hypertension
can also cause ischemic heart disease
heart muscle doesnt get enough
blood
usually the result of atherosclerosis or
hardening of the arteries (coronary
artery disease), which impedes the
blood flow

Circulatory Pathways
Pulmonary circuit
Functions to bring blood into close contact with
alveoli of lungs for gas exchange
Pressure is low here (24/8 instead of 120/80
mm Hg)
Pulmonary arteries/arterioles are more like
veins/venules with thin walls and large lumens
Systemic circuit
Arterial: functions to bring oxygenated blood to
all body tissues/cells
Venus: functions to remove metabolic wastes
from body tissues/cells

Circulatory
Pathways

Blood Vessels of Body: Aorta


Branches

Brachiocephalic artery branches into:


Right Common Carotid
Branches into external and internal carotids at the level
of the jaw angle

Internal Carotid enters cranium at carotid canal and


gives off stapedial artery in tympanic cavity before
entering the circle of Willis
Right Subclavian
Becomes Axillary Artery

Then becomes Brachial Artery


Left common carotid
Left subclavian

Circle of Willis

Circle of Willis Explained


Vertebral Arteries run through foramen
magnum to become the Basilar Artery
Basilar artery gives off Posterior Cerebral
Artery and then continues as Posterior
Communicating Arteries
Carotids join Communicating Arteries
laterally and give off Middle Cerebral
Artery
Loop continues as Anterior Cerebral arteries
that are joined by the Anterior
Communicating Artery

External Carotid
Gives off many branches:
Superior thyroid
Lingual
Facial
Maxillary
Occipital artery
descending branch
anastimoses (connects)
with costocervical trunk
Superior Temporal artery
Ophthalmic artery

Subclavians
Gives off branches:
Vertebral Artery
Costocervical trunk to neck
and ribs that connects with
occipital artery
Thyrocervical trunk supplying thyroid gland,
scapula
transverse cervical (connection with
intercostal arteries and with suprascapular)
suprascapular artery anastemoses with
subscapular that connects back to axillary
artery
Internal thoracic that supply the sternum

Arm
Subclavian changes to Axillary at the
border of the scalene muscles changes to
brachial artery at the lateral border of the
m. pectoralis minor
Brachial artery branches into:
Profunda Brachii
Muscular branches
Collateral Branches around elbow
have recurrent and collateral
Ulna artery
arteries back to the brachial and
Radial artery profunda brachii arteries

Arm

Lower Arm Arteries

Ulnar Artery
Radial Artery
These arteries form deep and superficial
palmer arches that give rise to the
metacarpal arteries
Loops back to radial artery

Descending Aorta Branches

Descending Aorta branches into:


Celiac trunk feeds fore gut liver, stomach, spleen,
duodenum, gall bladder, head of pancreas
Superior Mesenteric feeds pancreas, entire small
intestine, cecum, appendix, ascending and transverse
colon
Inferior Mesenteric feeds descending and sigmoid colon
and rectum
Renal Arteries feed kidneys
Gonadal Arteries feed either testicles or ovaries
Muscular branches into back muscles
Lft and rt common iliacs
External iliacs feed legs (become femoral arteries)
Internal iliacs feed the naughty bits and bladder

Celiac Trunck
Celiac trunk feeds fore gut liver, stomach, spleen,
duodenum, gall bladder, head of pancreas
3 branches
Lft. Gastric to lesser curvature of stomach
Splenic to spleen then continues as left
gastroepiploic
Common Hepatic splits to proper hepatic to liver
and then gives off:
rt. Gastric to lesser curvature
gastroduodenal to stomach and duodenum
splits to superior pancreatico-dudenal
(pancreas and duodenum)
rt. Gastroepiploic

Celiac Trunk

Superior Mesenteric
Branches into:
Inferior Pancreatico-duodenal
Intestinal Branches
Ileo-colic
Right Colic
Middle Colic becomes Marginal artery
of Drummond that connects to the
Left Colic of the Inferior Mesenteric
(another collateral circulation)

Inferior Mesenteric
Branches into:
Left Colic
Right Colic to marginal artery
Superior Rectal ( Superior
Hemorrhoidal )

Common Iliacs

Branches into External and Internal Iliacs


External Iliac becomes Femoral
Artery
Gives off Deep Femoral artery to
supply joint and muscles
Femoral becomes the Popliteal
Artery

divides to form the posterior


and anterior tibial arteries

In most cases the fibular artery


arises from the posterior tibial
Anterior tibial gives rise to
the dorsalis pedis artery
that will contribute to the
arcuate artery that gives
branches to the digits

Internal Iliac Branches

Arteries of
genitals

Veins of
Upper Body

Veins of
Shoulder and
Arm

Abdominal
Veins

Leg Veins

Fetal Circulation
In humans and other placental mammals,
mother supplies oxygenated blood and
mothers liver detoxifies fetus blood
Circulatory pathway differs with additional
vessels:
Umbilical vein
Umbilical artery
Ductus venosus
Foramen ovale
Ductus arteriosus

Fetal Circulation (cont.)


Umbilical vein carries oxygenated
blood from placenta to fetus body
Umbilical artery (branch of
internal iliac) carries deoxgenated
blood with wastes back to
placenta
Ductus venosus shunts blood from
umbilical vein past fetal liver and
into inferior vena cava to mix
deoxygenated blood from lower
body and enter right atrium
Foramen ovale shunts blood from
right atrium to left to bypass
collapsed fetal lungs
Ductus arteriosus shunts blood
that entered right ventricle into
aorta

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