Blood Vessels

Blood vessels circulate blood through the body. The three major
types of blood vessels are the arteries, veins, and capillaries. Arteries
carry blood away from the heart, while veins carry blood toward the
heart. Capillaries form at the junction between arteries and veins
and they are the only blood vessel to come into direct contact with
tissue cells. Oxygen, nutrients, and other substances transported in
blood through the arteries pass through thin capillary walls into
tissue cells. Wastes and other products of cellular metabolism pass
from cells back through the capillary walls and into veins. The walls
of arteries and veins are composed of three tunics (layers) that
surround a central opening called a lumen, through which blood
flows. The innermost layer is the tunica intima, composed of
endothelial cells that form a slick lining that minimizes friction as
blood moves through the lumen. The middle layer is the tunica
media. Composed of smooth muscle cells and sheets of elastic tissue,
this layer enables the lumen to narrow or widen to regulate blood
flow in the body. The tunica adventitia forms a protective outer layer
of the blood vessel wall and it also anchors the blood vessel to
surrounding structures.
Veins
Veins are blood vessels that return blood to the heart from other parts of the body.
This false-color electron micrograph shows red blood cells packed into a capillary,
the smallest type of blood vessel. Blood flows from the capillaries into veins after
oxygen has been exchanged.
Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights
reserved.
Capillary, one of the minute blood vessels that
form the connection between the arteries and the
veins. These tiny vessels vary in diameter from
0.0127 to about 0.2032 mm (0.0005 to about
0.008 in) and are present in great numbers
throughout the entire body. The walls of
capillaries are exceedingly thin and readily
permeable. They are surrounded by lymph, and
there is a constant interchange between the
substances in the blood within the capillaries and
the waste products in the body tissues and lymph
outside. This interchange facilitates the processes
of nutrition and elimination and enables the
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide to take
place. Lymph capillaries assist the blood
capillaries in this process.
Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008
Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.