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Microcirculation
Dr Anupama
The Blood Vessels and the Cardiovascular
System
• Arteries: blood from heart
– Strong & Elastic
– Conduct blood to capillaries
– Sphincters
• Capillaries: exchange with cells
• Veins
– Return blood to heart
– Valves
The microcirculation refers to the smallest blood
vessels in the body:
• the smallest arterioles
• the metarterioles
• the precapillary sphincters
• the capillaries
• the small venules
Functional element of microcirculation
• Microcirculatory part of vascular system
performs all blood functions.
• There are such types of vessels: arterioles,
metarterioles, capillaries and venuls.
• Mean diameter of these vessels is less than
100 mcm.
• Arterioles, capillary bed venuls and lymphatic
capillaries compose functional element of
microcirculation
Functional element of microcirculation
• Main processes as blood-tissue exchange or
lymph production are performed there.
• Mean diameter of capillaries is 3-6 mcm.
• The length of capillary vessel is near 750 mcm.
• Capillaries perform exchange in surface near
14000 mkm2.
• Blood flow velocity in capillaries consists near 0.3
mm/s, which permits passing erythrocytes
through capillary in 2-3 s.
Endothelial cells—capillary
• are active elements of capillary bed.
• produce enzymes as antithrombin III
• endothelial relaxing factor,
• endothelial contracting factor,
• which may activate function of hormones and
neurotransmitters on vessel's wall or cause some
physiological effects.
• contain microfibrills,
• composed from actin, myosin and other contractive
elements.
• Such structures are directed along cell basis and binds
to cytoplasm in places of intracellular contacts.
Endothelial cells—capillary
• When microfibrills contracting two kinds of effects may
be produced:
• both increasing intracellular split after contraction and
increasing cell height and its' prominence inside the
vessel.
• Capillary wall has small splits and a lot of pores.
• In kidneys glomeruls, intestinal epithelium, capillaries
are fenestrated.
• This specialty permits passing through endothelial cells
water, ions and other large molecules as aminoacids or
fructose.
• In red bone marrow, liver and spleen capillaries have
interrupted walls, which let passing even blood cells.
Interstitial spaces
• Intracellular substance surrounds microcirculatory bed and
lymphatic capillaries.
• Intracellular substance is composed by net of collagen and
elastic fibers, which form small cavities filled in by gelatin-
like substance including proteins, ions and water.
• Intracellular space has filter system and reabsorbtive
system.
• Filter system in composed by capillary bed. Reabsorbtive
system includes lymphatic capillaries and venules.
• Due to convection and diffusion in fluid surroundings,
intracellular fluid streams from blood capillaries to
lymphatic capillaries.
Transport of substances through capillary
membrane
• are lipid soluble as O2 or CO2 and water-soluble as ions or
glucose.
• Substances of molecule size more than 6-7 nm cannot diffuse
through intra-endothelial pores.
• The greater the concentration difference of a given substance on
two sides of capillary membrane, the greater will bi net rate of
diffusion.
• Forces that determine fluid movement through capillary
membrane are capillary pressure, interstitial fluid pressure,
plasma colloid osmotic pressure and interstitial fluid colloid
osmotic pressure.
• At arterial end of capillary pressure is higher than interstitial fluid
pressure, which causes filtration.
• At venous end of capillary plasma colloid osmotic pressure is
lower than interstitial pressure, which cause reabsorbtion.
Structure and function of blood vessels
• 5 main types
– Arteries – carry blood AWAY from the heart
– Arterioles
– Capillaries – site of exchange
– Venules
– Veins – carry blood TO the heart
– 3 layers or tunics
1. Tunica interna (intima)
2. Tunica media
3. Tunica externa
– Modifications account for 5 types of blood vessels
and their structural/ functional differences
– Largest arteries
– Largest diameter but walls
relatively thin
– Function as pressure
reservoir
– Help propel blood forward
while ventricles relaxing
– Also known as conducting
arteries – conduct blood to
medium-sized arteries
– Largest portion of
blood at rest is in
systemic veins and
venules
• Blood reservoir
– Venoconstriction
reduces volume of
blood in reservoirs
and allows greater
blood volume to flow
where needed
endothelium
Smooth muscle cell layer
adventitia
Veins
“Blood Reservoir”
70% of our blood volume
is on the venous side.
The Blood Vessels and the Cardiovascular
System
- CO2
- Cold
53
Arterioles
• Specific local chemical factors that produce
relaxation of arteriolar smooth muscle
– Decreased O2
– Increased CO2
– Increased acid
– Increased K+
– Increased osmolarity
– Adenosine release
– Prostaglandin release
Arterioles
• Local vasoactive mediators
– Endothelial cells
• Release chemical mediators that play key role
in locally regulating arteriolar caliber
• Release locally acting chemical messengers in
response to chemical changes in their
environment
• Among best studied local vasoactive mediators
is nitric oxide (NO)
Arterioles
• Extrinsic control
– Accomplished primarily by sympathetic nerve
influence
– Accomplished to lesser extent by hormonal
influence over arteriolar smooth muscle
• ARTERIES
• ARTERIOLES (pressure variability)
• METARTERIOLES (pressure variability)
• CAPILLARIES (microcirculation; low pressure)
• VENULES (microcirculation; low pressure)
• VEINS
Make Up of Blood Vessels: Arteries and
Arterioles
• Bypass
capillaries
• Large cells
• Speed flow
• Lowest Velocity
• Hydrostatic pressure
drops
66
CONTROL OF REGIONAL
BLOOD FLOW
LOCAL CONTROL OF BLOOD FLOW
• A) Autoregulation – maintenance of
constant blood flow to an organ in spite
of fluctuations in BP.
E.g. brain – auto regulation is best
kidney – auto regulation is good
skeletal muscle – auto regulation is
poor
LOCAL CONTROL OF BLOOD FLOW
• C) Reactive hyperemia
When blood flow to a tissue is blocked for few
seconds and then is unblocked, the flow
through tissue increases almost 4-7 times
normal. The excess blood flow lasts long
enough to repay the tissue oxygen deficit that
has occurred during occlusion.
• Two basic mechanisms that explain local control of
blood flow
1. Myogenic theory
Increase in blood flow
Stretches the vessel
Contraction of vascular smooth muscle
Decrease blood flow back to normal
2. Metabolic theory
Increase in rate of metabolism
Accumulation of vasodilator substances in active
tissues
Blood vessels dilate
Increase blood flow
Vasodilator metabolites
O2 tension, H, CO2 tension, Temperature, K+,
lactate, Adenosine, Histamine.
• The term Microcirculation refers to the
functions of the capillaries and the
neighboring lymphatic vessels.
Filtration Absorption
1/6/2018 83
Lymphatic circulation
1/6/2018 86
What is Edema?
• Accumulation of fluid
beneath the skin or in a
body cavity
Abnormal
swelling
Causes of Edema
• Increase capillary • Decrease colloidal
pressure osmotic pressure
– Increase vascular – Increase loss of proteins
volume • Nephrotic syndrome
• Heart failure • Burns
• Kidney disease – Decrease production
• Pregnancy • Starvation, Malnutrition
• Environmental heat stress • Liver disease
– Venous obstruction
• Thrombosis
• Liver disease
Causes of Edema
• Increase capillary • Obstruction of
permeability lymphatic flow
– Inflammation – Surgical removal of
– Allergic reaction lymph nodes
– Tissue injury – Malignant
– Malignancy obstruction
– Infection ( filariasis)
Lymphatic System: Structure and Roles
• Lymphatic structures
(overview)
– Capillaries with valves
– Lymph vessels
– Lymph nodes & organs
• Immune defense
• Transport of fats
• Collects excess ECF
– Returns to plasma
– Edema
Lymphatic System: Structure and Roles
(overview)