Cardiovascular System /

2
lec.6

By
Dr. Suhair Majeed
(2021)
 2- Blood vessels
* Blood vessels differ in size, distribution,and
function, structurally they share many common
features.
*The walls of blood vessels consist of Three major
coats or Tunics.
*From the lumen to outward, the wall of a blood
vessel consists of :
1-Tunica intima
2- Tunica media
3- Tunica adventitia
Tunics of blood vessel wall
1- Tunica intima :

* Is composed of a lining layer of highly specialized

multifunctional flattened epithelial cells termed
endothelium.
* Endothelial cells rest on a basal lamina.
* Beneath these cells is subendothelial layer ( loose
connective tissue with some smooth muscle cells) , on
contraction of these cells (this tunica appears wrinkled
in cross section(in arteries ).
*In large arteries the T. intima is separated from T.
media by internal elastic lamina (membrane) .
*This membrane composed of elastic fibers & has
fenestrae (gaps) that allow diffusion of substances to
deeper cells in the wall, this membrane is very obvious
in the muscular arteries and arterioles.
Wall of artery
 Endothelium
* A specialized epithelium that acts as a
semipermeable barrier between the blood and the
interstitial tissue fluid.
*Are squamous, polygonal, and elongated cells.
* Cells bound together by junctional complexes
and have many pinocytotic vesicles ,these vesicles are
involved in the process of transport of substances
from one side of the cell to the other.
*Cells have many functional roles despite their
apparent structural simplicity :
- Normally secretes factors which prevent blood
clotting
Cont.

- Normally secretes factors which maintain the

tone of vascular smooth muscle.
- Endothelium has several roles in
inflammation and local immune responses. They
can be activated by cytokines to express cell
adhesion molecules which allow white blood cells
to stick.
Artery
2- Tunica media :
* Is the middle layer in the blood vessel wall.
* Composed mainly of concentric layers of
smooth muscle cells, between these muscle cells ,layers
of elastic & reticular fibers are present.
* In larger arteries a thin external elastic
lamina often separates T. media from T. adventitia.
* In capillaries & post capillary venules , T. media
is replaced by cells called Pericytes.
* T. media is prominent in arteries, indistinct in
veins and non existent in very small vessels.
* In vessels near the heart & receiving the full thrust
of the systolic pressure the elastic tissues in the media
are very well developed called Elastic arteries .
3- Tunica adventitia :
* It’s the outer layer of blood vessel.
*T. adventitia is connective tissue consisting
principally of type I collagen and elastic fibers .
*In veins this tunica is more prominent ,and
contain a prominent smooth muscle cells.
* Within T. adventitia we can see the followings :
1- Vasa vasorum
2- Autonomic nerves
3- Lymphatic capillary
1- Vasa Vasorum :

* The walls of larger arteries and veins are too

thick to receive nourishment by direct diffusion
from their lumina.
*As a result, these walls are supplied by their own
small blood vessels called Vasa Vasorum (vessels of
the vessel): arterioles, capillaries, and venules in
the adventitia and outer part of T. media.
* The vasa vasorum allows for exchange of
nutrients and metabolites with cells in the tunica
adventitia and tunica media.
* large veins commonly have more vasa vasorum
than arteries , because they carry deoxygenated
blood.
Cont.

2- Autonomic nerves :
The adventitia of larger vessels also contains a
network of unmyelinated autonomic nerve
fibers,( the vasomotor nerves ). The density of this
innervation is greater in arteries than in veins.
 VASCULATURE
* Large blood vessels and those of the
microvasculature branch frequently and undergo
gradual transitions into structures with different
histologic features and functions.
* Classification of blood vessels is made according
to the size of the vessel & tissue composition, into the
followings :
* large size artery (elastic artery )
* Medium size artery (muscular artery )
* Arteriole
* Capillary
* Venule
* Medium size vein
* large vein
Types of vessels
1- Elastic arteries :
* Are the largest blood vessels in the body ,include the
aorta, pulmonary artery, and their largest branches; these
large vessels are also called conducting arteries.
*The walls of these vessels are composed of elastic
connective tissue fibers. These fibers provide great flexibility
during blood flow.
* The most prominent feature of elastic arteries is the
thick T. media in which elastic lamellae alternate with
layers of smooth muscle fibers.
*T. intima is well developed, with many smooth muscle
cells in the subendothelial connective tissue. Between T.
Intima and T. media is the internal elastic lamina, which is
more well-defined than the external elastic laminae of T.
media.
*T. intima lined by a single layer of flattened,
endothelial cells that rest on a complete basal lamina.
* The T. adventitia is thin and contains some collagen
fibers , elastic fibers & contain vasa vasorum.
Large elastic artery
2- Muscular arteries:

*T. intima has a thin subendothelial layer and a

prominent internal elastic lamina .
*T. media may contain up to 40 layers of large
smooth muscle cells interspersed with a variable
number of elastic lamellae (depending on the size of the
vessel).
* An external elastic lamina is present only in the
larger muscular arteries.
*The adventitial connective tissue contains
lymphatic capillaries, vasa vasorum, and nerves, all
of which may penetrate to the outer part of the media.
MUSCULAR artery
Elastic & muscular artery
3- Arterioles :

* Are the smallest branches of the arterial

system.
* T. intima consists only of endothelium,with
very thin subendothelial layer and an internal
elastic lamina found only in larger arterioles.
* Endothelial cells of arterioles have granules
that contain a protein called Von Willebrand’s factor ,
which is regarded as part of coagulation mechanism .
-- deficiency of this protein lead to impaired
adhesion of platelets to the injured endothelium ,this
condition known as Hemophilia .
* T.media consist of 1-2 layers of smooth muscle
cells.
* No external elastic lamina
Small artery & vein
Cont.

* T. adventitia is Very thin connective tissue layer.

*As the arteriole get smaller , smooth muscle cells
become discontinous called (metarteriole) which
will branch later to form network of capillaries.
 Arteriole

Endothelium

Ad
 The Microvasculature

*The microvasculature starts at the level of the

arterioles .
* The microvasculature is composed of small
diameter blood vessels .
* Most of exchange between blood and tissues
occurs in the capillary network, the smallest
arterioles (metarteriole) emptying into the capillary
system.
* The capillary networks drain into the first
components of the venous system, the venules .
4- Capillaries :

* Are the smallest blood vessels.

* Capillaries are specialized for diffusion of
substances across their wall.
*Receive blood from metarterioles.
*Have a very thin wall (formed of a single layer
of endothelial cells rest on a basement
membrane).
*Few contractile cells called pericytes, found
external to endothelial cells.
 Pericytes

* Are mesenchymal cells with long cytoplasmic

processes that partly surround the endothelial cells
at various locations of capillaries & small venules.
* Their functions are :
1- have a contractile function due to
presence of actine & myosine filaments in their
cytoplasm .
2- proliferate & differentiate to form new
blood vessels & connective tissue cells (in case of
tissue injury ).
THANK YOU