BLOOD VESSELS

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of the lesson, the students are expected to;
 Describe the functions of blood vessels to the circulatory system of the human
body.
 Describe and identify the functions of each of the parts of the blood vessels.
 Distinguished and level several parts of the blood vessels.
 Differentiate Arteries and Veins.
 Explain the relationship between capillaries, arteries, venules, veins, and
arterioles.

Materials:
Laptop
Google scholar
PowerPoint presentation
Google class

References:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capillary
https://training.seer.cancer.gov/anatomy/cardiovascular/blood/classification.html
https://www.britannica.com/science/blood-vessel
https://training.seer.cancer.gov/anatomy/cardiovascular/blood/pathways.html

Lesson proper
This module explores the blood vessels: its functions, structure, and
characteristics.
Blood vessels are the channels or conduits through which blood is distributed to body
tissues. The vessels make up two closed systems of tubes that begin and end at
the heart. One system, the pulmonary vessels/Circuit, transports blood from the
right ventricle to the lungs and back to the left atrium. The other system, the systemic
vessels/Circuit, carries blood from the left ventricle to the tissues in all parts of the body
and then returns the blood to the right atrium.
The blood vessels in addition, are the components of the circulatory system that
transport blood throughout the human body. These vessels transport blood cells,
nutrients, and oxygen to the tissues of the body. They also take waste and carbon
dioxide away from the tissues. Blood vessels are needed to sustain life, because all of
the body's tissues rely on their functionality.

5 types of blood vessels

1. Arteries
2. Arterioles
3. Capillaries
4. Venules
5. Veins
Artery (plural arteries) (from Greek (artēria), meaning 'windpipe, artery) is a blood
vessel that takes blood away from the human heart to all parts of the body (tissues,
lungs, Brain etc.). Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the two exceptions are
the pulmonary and the umbilical arteries, which carry deoxygenated blood to the organs
that oxygenate it (lungs).

An art
eri ole is
a small-diameter vessel in the microcirculation that extends and branches out from
an artery and leads to capillaries.

A capillary is a small blood vessel from 5 to

10 micrometers (μm) in diameter, and having a wall
one endothelial cell thick. They are the smallest
blood vessels in the body: they convey blood
between the arterioles and venules.
NOTE: Blood flows from the heart through arteries, which branch and narrow
into arterioles, and then branch further into capillaries where nutrients and wastes are
exchanged. The capillaries then join and widen to become venules, which in turn widen
and converge to become veins, which then return blood back to the heart through
the venae cavae. In the mesentery, met arterioles form an additional stage between
arterioles and capillaries.

 Continuous capillaries are continuous in the sense that the endothelial cells
provide an uninterrupted lining, and they only allow smaller molecules, such as
water and ions, to pass through their intercellular clefts.
 Fenestrated capillaries have pores known as fenestrae (Latin for "windows") in
the endothelial cells that are 60–80 nm in diameter. They are spanned by a
diaphragm of radially oriented fibrils that allows small molecules and limited
amounts of protein to diffuse.
 Sinusoidal capillaries or discontinuous capillaries are a special type of open-
pore capillary, also known as a sinusoid that has wider 30–40 μm diameters,
and wider openings in the endothelium. Fenestrated capillaries have diaphragms
that cover the pores whereas sinusoids lack a diaphragm and just have an open
pore
A venule is a very small blood vessel in
the microcirculation that allows blood to return from
the capillary beds to drain into the larger blood
vessels, the veins. Venules range from 7μm to
1mm in diameter. Veins contain approximately
70% of total blood volume, 25% of which is
contained in the Venules. Many Venules unite to
form a vein.

Veins are blood vessels that carry blood towards the heart.
Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to
the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins,
both of which carry oxygenated blood to the heart. In contrast
to veins, arteries carry blood away from the heart.
 Difference between Arteries and Veins

Arteries Veins

Blood returns via superior and

Blood pumped into single
Delivery interior venae cavae and the
systemic artery – the aorta
coronary sinus

Deep, and protected by

Location Both deep and superficial
tissue

Pathways Fair, clear, and defined Convergent interconnections

Dural sinuses and hepatic portal

Supply/drainage Predictable supply
circulation

Anatomy of blood vessels

The arteries and veins have three layers. The middle layer is thicker in the arteries than
it is in the veins:
 The inner layer, tunica intima, is the thinnest layer. It is a single layer of flat cells
(simple squamous epithelium) glued by a polysaccharide intercellular matrix,
surrounded by a thin layer of sub endothelial connective tissue interlaced with a
number of circularly arranged elastic bands called the internal elastic lamina.
The internal elastic lamina or internal elastic lamella is a layer of elastic tissue that
forms the outermost part of the tunica intima of blood vessels. It separates tunica intima
from tunica media.
 The middle layer tunica media is the thickest layer in arteries. It consists of
circularly arranged elastic fiber, connective tissue, polysaccharide substances,
the second and third layer are separated by another thick elastic band called
external elastic lamina.

 The outer layer is the tunica adventitia and the thickest layer in veins. It is entirely
made of connective tissue. It also contains nerves that supply the vessel as well
as nutrient capillaries (vasa vasorum) in the larger blood vessels.

Evaluation:
 Instruction: each question is followed by four choices marked a, b, c, and d. encircle
the letter of your chosen answer.
1. What type of blood vessel that is small-diameter vessel in
the microcirculation that extends and branches out from an artery and leads
to capillaries?
a. Arteriole
b. Vein
c. Capillaries
d. Venules

1. The following are types of blood vessels EXCEPT?

a. Artery
b. Capillary
c. Vein
d. Tissue

2. It carries deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart.

a. Capillary
b. Artery
c. Vein
d. Venules

3. A type of blood vessels in which it contains approximately 70% of total blood

volume, 25% of which is contained in the Venules.
a. Venules
b. Capillary
c. Vein
d. Arteriole

4. Which of the following describes blood vessels?

a. Blood vessels are the channels or conduits through which blood is distributed
to body tissues.
b. The blood vessels are the components of the circulatory system that
transport blood throughout the human body.
c. These vessels transport blood cells, nutrients, and oxygen to the tissues of
the body.
d. All of the above.

5. What type of blood vessels in which its function is to convey blood between
the arterioles and Venules?
a. Venules
b. Vein
c. Capillaries
d. Arteries

6. Artery came from the Greek (artēria), meaning ?

a. Windpipe
b. Artery
c. Pipe
d. None of the above

7. It is a single layer of fat cells (simple squamous epithelium) glued by

a polysaccharide intercellular matrix, surrounded by a thin layer of sub
endothelial connective tissue interlaced with a number of circularly arranged
elastic bands called the internal elastic lamina?
a. Tunica media
 b. Tunica intima
c. The inner layer
d. Both a and c

8. How can you describe tunica adventitia?

a. It consists of circularly arranged elastic fiber.
b. Layer of elastic tissue that forms the outermost part of the tunica intima of
blood vessels.
c. The thickest layer in veins. It is entirely made of connective tissue.
d. None of the above

9. It is a blood vessel that takes blood away from the human heart to all parts of the
body (tissues, lungs, Brain etc.)
a. Capillaries
b. Arteries
c. Venules
d. Veins

10. The following are types of capillaries EXCEPT?

a. Continues capillaries
b. Fenestrated capillaries
c. Sinusoidal capillaries
d. None of the above

11. The internal elastic lamina is also called?

a. internal elastic lamella
b. internal elastic lamina
c. internal elastic Lumina
d. both a and c

12. It transports blood from the right ventricle to the lungs and back to the left atrium.
a. Pulmonary circuit
b. Systemic circuit
c. Veins
d. Artery

13. Carries blood from the left ventricle to the tissues in all parts of the body and then
returns the blood to the right atrium.
a. Pulmonary circuit
b. Systemic circuit
c. Veins
d. Artery

14. This type of blood vessels joins and widens to become Venules.
a. Capillaries
b. Veins
c. Artery
d. Arteriole

15. This type of blood vessels which in turn widen and converge to become veins.
a. Capillary
b. Veins
c. Venules
d. Artery
16. Which of the following is true about tunica media?
a. The middle layer tunica media is the thickest layer in arteries.
 b. It consists of circularly arranged elastic fiber, connective tissue,
polysaccharide substances, the second and third layers are separated by
another thick elastic band called external elastic lamina.
c. It also contains nerves that supply the vessel as well as nutrient capillaries
(vasa vasorum) in the larger blood vessels.
d. Both a and b

17. Which of the following BEST describe the major function of blood vessels to the
circulatory system of the human body?
a. The blood vessels are the components of the circulatory system that
transport blood throughout the human body. These vessels transport blood
cells, nutrients, and oxygen to the tissues of the body.
b. Blood vessels are needed to sustain life, because all of the body's tissues rely
on their functionality.
c. Both a and b
d. None of the above

18. “Blood flows from the heart through arteries, which branch and narrow
into arterioles, and then branch further into capillaries where nutrients and
wastes are exchanged. The capillaries then join and widen to become Venules,
which in turn widen and converge to become veins, which then return blood back
to the heart through the venae cavae. In the mesentery, met arterioles form an
additional stage between arterioles and capillaries”. What is this statement
about?
a. Blood flow
b. Circulation
c. Relationship between blood vessels
d. Blood vessels and its function

19. Which of the following is NOT belongs to the group?

a. Blood returns via superior and interior venae cavae and the coronary sinus.
b. Blood pumped into single systemic artery – the aorta
c. Deep, and protected by tissue
d. unpredictable supply

20. The following are components of artery EXCEPT?

a. Tunica intima
b. Tunica media
c. Basement membrane
d. None of the above

21. A special type of open-pore capillary, also known as has wider 30–
40 μm diameters, and wider openings in the endothelium.
a. Sinusoid capillary
b. Continues capillary
c. Fenestrated capillary
d. Elastic lamella

22. Which of the following BEST describe the function of the artery?
a. A small-diameter vessel in the microcirculation that extends and branches out
from an artery and leads to capillaries.
b. A blood vessel that takes blood away from the human heart to all parts of the
body (tissues, lungs, Brain etc.).
c. It is entirely made of connective tissue.
d. It also contains nerves that supply the vessel as well as nutrient capillaries
(vasa vasorum) in the larger blood vessels.
23. Which of the statement describe the characteristic of a fenestrated capillary?
a. have pores known as fenestrae (Latin for "windows")
b. 60–80 nm in diameter.
c. They are spanned by a diaphragm of radially oriented fibrils that allows small
molecules and limited amounts of protein to diffuse.
d. All of the above

24. Which of the following is not belongs to the group?

a. Blood vessels
b. Artery
c. Veins
d. Capillary

25. Which statement is NOT true about capillary?

I – it is a small blood vessel from 5 to 10 micrometers (μm) in diameter, and having a
wall one endothelial cell thick.
II -They are the smallest blood vessels in the body: they convey blood between
the arterioles and Venules.
III - are blood vessels that carry blood towards the heart.
IV - a very small blood vessel in the microcirculation that allows blood to return from
the capillary beds to drain into the larger blood vessels, the veins.
a. I, II, and III
b. I, II, III, and IV
c. I and II only
d. III only

26. Which of the following describe elastic lamella?

a. It separates tunica intima from tunica media.
b. A layer of elastic tissue that forms the outermost part of the tunica intima of
blood vessels.
c. Both a and b
d. None of the above

27. What type of blood vessels in which its function is to carry deoxygenated blood
from the tissues back to the heart?
a. Capillaries
b. Venules
c. Veins
d. Arterioles

28. The following statements describes the difference between artery and veins in a
specific category EXCEPT?
a. In artery, blood pumped into single systemic artery – the aorta while in veins,
blood returns via superior and interior venae cavae and the coronary sinus.
b. Artery is deep and protected by tissue while, veins both deep and superficial.
c. Artery is predictable supply while in veins, dural sinuses and hepatic portal
circulation.
d. Artery is fair, clear, and defined and veins are deep and superficial.

29. In what specific category does the statement “In artery, blood pumped into single
systemic artery – the aorta while in veins, blood returns via superior and interior
venae cavae and the coronary sinus”. Belong?
a. Delivery
 b. Pathways
c. Location
d. Supply/drainage

Assignment:
Essay
Instruction: explain the following questions; support your answer with
corresponding facts and ideas.
1. What is the difference between veins and artery? 5 pts.
2. Given the statement “The blood vessels are the components of the circulatory
system that transport blood throughout the human body”. What do you think is
the major function of blood vessels to the circulatory system of the human
body? 15 pts.
3. Explain briefly the relationship between artery, arteriole, capillary, Venules
and vein. 10 pts.