Microcirculation

microcirculation -Capillary circulation

5% of circulating blood is in the capillaries

Capillaries are disposed between arterioles
and venules .

Transit time in capillary is 1-2 sec

Arterioles
Arise from nutrient artery
nutrient artery entering an organ branches 6 to 8 times
to form arterioles
internal diameter-10 to 15 micrometers.
highly muscular
their diameters can be changed many fold
arterioles themselves branch 2 to 5 times.
They supply blood to the capillaries.
Metarterioles [terminal arterioles]
No continuous muscular coat.
They give rise to capillaries
Smooth muscle fibers encircling the capillaries
at point where capillaries originates from
metarterioles- precapillary sphincters
Pre capillary sphincter.
An important structure
Seen at a point where true capillary
arises from metaarterioles
smooth muscle - encircles the
capillary.
open and close the entrance to the
capillary
Venules
The venules are larger than the arterioles and
have a much weaker muscular coat.
Structure of the capillary wall
unicellular layer of endothelial cells , surrounded
by a thin basement membrane.
total thickness - 0.5 micrometer.
Internal diameter is 4 to 9 micrometers
have no muscular coat
Actively modify their own diameter in response
to various stimuli .
Intercellular cleft thin-
slit- connecting the
interior of the capillary
with the exterior water-
soluble substances
diffuse through this
clefts.
Caveolae –transport macromolecules across the
cell membrane
1.Continuous capillaries [ BRAIN]

Their characteristic
feature-Tight junctions
endothelial cells are tightly
arranged
Only small molecules pass
through it
2.Fenestrated capillary [kidney]
Cytoplasm of the endothelial
cells is attenuated to form gaps
called fenestrations.
20–100 nm in diameter.
permit the passage of
relatively large molecules
porous capillaries
3.Discontinous capillaries [LIVER]

Sinusoidal capillaries are extremely

porous
endothelium is discontinuous
Gaps occur between endothelial cells
are not closed by membranes
Function of the Capillary System

Exchange of Substances Between the Blood

and Interstitial Fluid.
Water,
Nutrients,
respiratory gases
Mechanism of Exchange

Diffusion Through the Capillary Membrane

Filtration
Pinocytosis
Peculiarities of capillary blood flow
Blood flows intermittently through capillaries.

Vasomotion
intermittent contraction of the metarterioles and
precapillary sphincters
Factors controlling blood flow
Nervous factors
Capillaries are mainly supplied by sympathetic
vasoconstrictor fibres

Chemical factors
Histamine, hypoxia, acidosis, hypercapnia, lactic acid –
dilatation
Serotonin -vasoconstriction
CUTANEOUS CIRCULATION
Circulation through the skin
Functions
1. Helps to regulate body
temperature
2. Metabolic needs of the skin
 Cutaneous blood vessels
Arranged parallel to
skin surface

Capillary loops provide

a large surface area for
heat exchange
Arteriovenous anastomosis
Location : Distal parts
of extremities , nose,
lips & ear lobules

control of temperature
Features of cutaneous circulation
1. Amount of blood flow far exceeds the metabolic
requirement of skin
2. Massive blood flow occurs in response to
temperature
3. Act as a reservoir of blood
4. With respect to blood flow, skin is divided into
apical skin (abundant AV anastomosis) & non-apical
skin
5. Countercurrent blood flow- temp regulation
Regulation
1. Nervous factors- pre-optic region of anterior
hypothalamus
Control blood flow in relation to change in temp by
vasoconstriction & vasodilatation

2. Hormonal control-
Vasoconstriction- catecholamines, angiotensin
 3.Chemical factors-
Histamine, bradykinin, acetylcholine- vasodilatation

4. Physical factors-
Increase in temp- vasodilatation
Decrease in temp- vasoconstriction
Cutaneous vascular responses
1. White reaction
2. Triple response
3. Dermatographia
4. Axon reflex
5. Reactive hyperaemia
WHITE REACTION
When a pointed object is drawn lightly over the skin,
it produces a pale or white line along the line of stroke
Mechanical stimulus initiates the contraction of the
precapillary sphincters and less blood flows into
capillaries and small veins
Response appears in about 15 sec
TRIPLE RESPONSE
It is a 3 part response of the normal reaction to injury
When the skin is stroked firmly with a pointed object,
the 3 part response to the injury are:
1) Red reaction
2) Flare
3) Wheal
1. RED REACTION
Reddening at the site that appears in approximately 10
sec
Reason
Redness occurs due to capillary dilatation that
increases capillary blood flow
Capillary dilatation is a direct response of the
capillaries to pressure
Due to release of histamine from injured cell
TRIPLE RESPONSE
2. FLARE
Spreading out of redness from the site of injury to the
surrounding area is called flare
It occurs after a few minutes of the appearance of red
colour
Reason
Due to arteriolar dilatation
Arteriolar dilatation occurs due to axon reflex
Axon reflex is an example of antidromic conduction
AXON REFLEX
AXON REFLEX
From the site of injury, the impulse is conducted in the
afferent fibers
These sensory neurons conduct the impulses to the
spinal cord(orthodromic conduction)
These sensory neurons also give branches to the blood
vessels(antidromic conduction)
Thus, the impulse in addition to its conduction to the
spinal cord orthodromically is also relayed
antidromically to the blood vessels
 site of injury

sensory neurons conduct impulses to the blood vessels

(antidromic conduction)

endings of sensory fibers release substance P and

Calcitonin gene related peptide(CGRP) on the blood
vessels

arteriolar dilatation

Flare
3. WHEAL
The local swelling(oedema) is called wheal
Reason
increased permeability of capillaries and post capillary
venules

Histamine released from local mast cells

Vasodilatation & Increases permeability of

capillaries

Extravasation of fluid

oedema
DERMOGRAPHISM
In sensitive individuals, if something is written on the
skin with a blunt object, areas of raised skin follows
the line of letters and the letters can be read clearly for
some time
This is due to excessive release of histamine from the
involved skin area
DERMOGRAPHISM
REACTIVE HYPEREMIA
When a blood vessel is occluded, the cutaneous
arterioles below the level of occlusion dilate
When the circulation is reestablished, blood flowing
into the dilated vessels makes the skin red
This is reactive hyperemia
The arteriolar dilatation is due to the local effect of
hypoxia