Under the Microscope Assoc. Prof.

Suzanne Ollerenshaw
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1.Describe the structural features of vessel walls, with reference to the tunica intima,
media and adventitia.
2.The distinguishing structural characteristics of elastic and muscular arteries and
arterioles and how they relate to function.
3.Summarise the structural characteristics of continuous, fenestrated and
discontinuous (sinusoidal) capillaries and how this relates to their different locations
in the body.
4.Summarise the structural differences between arteries and veins.
general features of vessel walls

tunica intima

tunica media

tunica adventitia
tunica intima
• endothelium
• basement membrane
• loose connective tissue

tunica media
• smooth muscle
• elastic fibres

tunica adventitia
• collagen & elastic fibres
• fibroblasts
• nerves, vessels
• +/- smooth muscle
What do vessels actually look like in the body?
the ADVENTITIA
ARTERY or VEIN?
How do you tell?
1. Shape of lumen
2. Size of lumen
3. Thickness of wall

ARTERY

VEIN
 tunica tunica tunica
intima media adventitia
thin layer
Elastic •Endothelium Alternating layers collagen &
•Connective of smooth muscle elastic fibres,
artery
tissue & elastic lamellae fibroblasts

Muscular •Endothelium • mostly smooth Connective

•Internal muscle tissue
artery
elastic • occasional +/- external
membrane elastic fibres elastic
•Conn. tissue membrane
Elastic artery Muscular artery
Tunica media

Internal elastic membrane

Elastic artery Muscular artery
t.Media t. adv t. media t. adv

Internal elastic membrane

Elastic artery Muscular artery

Smooth muscle elastic lamella

Muscular artery
lumen
ARTERIOLES contribute to peripheral vascular resistance

30 - 200µm diameter

Endothelium
1-2 layers smooth muscle
Thin tunica adventitia
A

C
Longitudinal view
of a capillary
Capillaries
o Endothelial lined tube
+/- basement membrane

o Pericytes (contractile connective tissue cell)

located along the wall at intervals

o Pericytes differentiate into smooth muscle

cells or fibroblasts during angiogenesis &
wound healing

Slow blood flow, large surface area, thin walls

Exchange of diffusible substances

 Continuous Fenestrated Discontinuous
Sinusoidal
Basement
Membrane

incomplete
Basement
Membrane

Endothelial fenestration intercellular

cell gap
 Continuous Capillaries – skin, CNS

o zonula occludens hold endothelial cells together

o pinocytotic vesicles in cytoplasm

o Larger molecules (glucose) & water-soluble

substances selectively transported via endocytosis
& exocytosis
o Diffusion of gases & small molecules
Fenestrated Capillaries – glands, GIT

80nm holes in
Plasma membrane

+/- diaphragm
 Sinusoidal Capillaries – liver, bone marrow,
endocrine glands
gaps between endothelial cells
pores within plasma membrane
partially/completely absent basal lamina
large diameter
irregular shape

permeable to large molecular

weight compounds &
sometimes erythrocytes &
leukocytes
Endothelial cell nucleus

Neutrophil leaving the vessel

Fibroblast nucleus
How do VEINS
differ from
arteries ?
How do VEINS differ from arteries ?
• thinner walls
• larger lumen
• irregular in shape
• tunica adventitia thickest layer
• may see valves
 t. Intima t. Media t. Adventitia

thick layer
LARGE •Endothelium Smooth muscle Connective

VEIN •Connective tissue 2 – 15 layers tissue, few

•Smooth muscle cells Collagen fibres elastic fibres

Longitudinal
Smooth muscle
MEDIUM Endothelium Smooth muscle Connective

VEIN Connective tissue Collagen fibres tissue, few

elastic fibres
+/- Internal Elastic
Membrane
Vein
Smooth tunica intima
muscle
tunica media
2-15 layers
smooth muscle

tunica adventitia

collagen
Venules

10-50ųm diameter
Endothelium
+/- smooth muscle cells, connective tissue

arteriole

venule
VALVES
in veins
 o Lipid retention, chronic inflammation, thrombosis & stenosis
o It occurred in Egyptian mummies >3,500 years ago, showing
Pathology o
the same pathology
Atheroma is an accumulation of foam cells (macrophages filled
Atherosclerosis with cholesterol) and collagen in the tunic intima
o It then forms a fibrous cap which can rupture leading to thrombosis
and become so large it narrows the arterial wall
 Figure 3

https://www.webmd.com/heart/video/coronary-angioplasty-stenting

https://www.svhhearthealth.com.au/procedures/procedures-
treatments/coronary-angioplasty-and-stenting
Heart - develops embryonically from a single blood vessel
1. Epicardium
2. Myocardium
3. Endocardium
Epicardium
• is the visceral layer of serous pericardium
• adheres to outer surface of heart
• simple squamous epithelium (mesothelium)
• + connective tissue
• + adipose

• reflects back to form the parietal serous pericardium

Serosa

Adipose tissue

myocardium
MYOCARDIUM consists of striated cardiac muscle
thinner layer in atrium wall compared to ventricle
thickness relates to pressure levels in heart chambers
nucleus
Intercalated
disc

o single nucleus centrally located

o large mitochondria and glycogen surround myofibrils
o the fibres (cells) branch
o intercalated discs between cells are junctions for attachment
and communication
(1) Striations (2) Int Disc (3) capillary Cardiac Muscle

1 3

longitudinal section transverse section

Endocardium

• is comparable to tunica intima

• is in contact with the blood
• consists of endothelium (simple squamous epithelium)
• loose connective tissue
plus,
• contains Purkinje cells which are part of the conducting system
of the heart
lumen
Purkinje Cells
• modified cardiac muscle cells with a neural function
• very large cells, round nuclei, pale staining
• located in the endocardium Purkinje cells

Purkinje
fibres

Nuclei RED
Collagen BLUE
Muscle PINK