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 ).