BLOOD VESSELS

AND
CIRCULATION
 WHAT IS
CIRCULATORY
SYSTEM?
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
 Includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood.
• FUNCTIONS:
1. Carries blood.
2. Exchanges nutrients, waste products, and gases with tissues.
3. Transports substances.
4. Helps regulate blood pressure.
5. Directs blood flow to the tissues.
WHAT IS BLOOD
VESSELS?
BLOOD VESSELS
 Circulate blood throughout the body. They help
deliver oxygen to vital organs and tissues, and also
remove waste products.
 Divided into two classes: (1) pulmonary vessels,
which transport blood from the right ventricle
through the lungs and back to the left atrium, and
(2) systemic vessels, which transport blood through
all parts of the body, from the left ventricle and back
to the right atrium.
THREE MAIN TYPES AND LAYERS OF BLOO
VESSELS
• THREE (3) LAYERS OF BLOOD VESSELS
 A. The tunica intima, the innermost layer, consists of
endothelium, a basement membrane, and connective tissue.
 B. The tunica media, the middle layer, contains circular
smooth muscle and elastic fiber.
 C. The outer tunica adventitia, is composed of connective
tissue.
• THREE (3) MAIN TYPES OF
BLOOD VESSELS
Arteries
Capillaries
Veins
ARTERIES
 Carries oxygen-rich blood away from the heart and deliver
it to the different parts of the body.
 Has three (3) types: elastic (largest), muscular (medium),
and arterioles (smallest).
 Vasoconstriction is the contraction of smooth muscle in
blood vessels, while vasodilation is the relaxation of
smooth muscle in blood vessels.
CAPILLARIES
 The smallest and most numerous of the
blood vessels.
 Form the connection between the vessels
that carry blood away from the heart
(arteries) and the vessels that return blood to
the heart (veins).
 They transport blood, nutrients and oxygen
to cells in organs and body systems.
VEINS
 Collects oxygen-poor blood and return it to the heart.
 Venules are composed of endothelium surrounded by a
basement membrane.
 Small veins are venules covered with a layer of smooth
muscle and a layer of connective tissue.
 Medium-sized and large veins contain less smooth muscle
and fewer elastic fibers than arteries of the same size.
 Valves prevent the backflow of blood in the veins.
 BLOOD VESSELS OF THE
PULMONARY CIRCULATION

 The pulmonary circulation moves blood

to and from the lungs. The pulmonary
trunk carries oxygen-poor blood from the
heart to the lungs, and pulmonary veins
carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to
the left atrium of the heart.
BLOOD VESSELS OF THE SYSTEMIC
CIRCULATION: ARTERIES
AORTA
 The aorta is the main artery that carries blood away from your heart to the
rest of the body.
 Has three parts:
A. Ascending aorta is the part of aorta that passes superiorly
from the left ventricle.
B. Aortic arch is the part of aorta between the ascending and
descending aorta. Three major arteries originate from the
aortic arch: the brachiocephalic artery, the left common
carotid artery, and the left subclavian artery.
C. Descending aorta is the longest part of the aorta. It
extends through the thorax and abdomen to the
upper margin of the pelvis. It has two parts: the
thoracic aorta, which extends through the thorax to
the diaphragm, and the abdominal aorta, which
extends from the diaphragm to the point at which it
divides into the two common iliac arteries.
 An arterial aneurysm is a localized dilation of an
artery that usually develops in response to trauma
or a congenital (existing at birth) weakness of the
artery wall.
ARTERIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK
 The brachiocephalic, left common carotid, and the left
subclavian arteries branch from the aortic arch to
supply the head and the upper limbs.
 The common carotid arteries and the vertebral
arteries supply the head. The common carotid arteries
divide to form the external carotids (which supply the
face and mouth) and the internal carotids (which
supply the brain).
ARTERIES OF THE UPPER LIMBS
 The subclavian artery continues as the axillary artery
and then as the brachial artery, which branches to
form the radial and ulnar arteries.
 Blood measurements are normally taken from the
brachial artery.
 The radial artery is the one most commonly used for
taking a pulse. The pulse can be detected easily on the
thumb (radial) side of the anterior surface of the wrist.
THORACIC AORTA AND ITS BRANCHES

 The branches of the thoracic aorta can be

divided into two groups: the visceral
arteries which supply the thoracic organs,
and the parietal arteries which supply the
thoracic wall.
ABDOMINAL AORTA AND ITS BRANCHES
 The branches of abdominal aorta can be divided into visceral and
parietal groups just like those of thoracic aorta.
 The visceral arteries can be divided into paired and unpaired
branches. There are three major unpaired branches: (1) the celiac
trunk which supplies blood to the stomach, pancreas, spleen, upper
duodenum, and liver, (2) the superior mesenteric artery which supplies
blood to the small intestine and the upper portion of the large
intestine, and (3) the inferior mesenteric artery which supplies blood
to the remainder of the large intestine. Also, there are three paired
branches: (1) the renal arteries which supply the kidneys, (2) the
suprarenal arteries which supply the adrenal glands, and (3) the
testicular arteries which supply the testes in males; the ovarian
arteries which supply the ovaries in females.
 The parietal branches of the abdominal aorta
supply the diaphragm and abdominal wall. The
inferior phrenic arteries supply the diaphragm; the
lumbar arteries supply the lumbar vertebrae and
back muscles; and the median sacral artery supplies
the inferior vertebrae.
ARTERIES OF THE PELVIS
 The abdominal aorta divides at the level of the fifth
lumbar vertebra into two common iliac arteries. Each
common iliac artery divides to form an external iliac
artery, which enters a lower limb, and an internal iliac
artery, which supplies the pelvic area.
 Visceral branches of the internal iliac artery supply organs
such as the urinary bladder, rectum, uterus, and vagina.
Parietal branches supply blood to the walls and floor of
the pelvis; the lumbar, gluteal, and proximal thigh muscles,
and external genitalia.
ARTERIES OF THE LOWER LIMBS
 The common iliac arteries gives rise to the external
iliac arteries, and the external iliac artery continues
as the femoral artery and then as the popliteal
artery in the leg. The popliteal artery divides to form
the anterior and posterior tibial arteries.
BLOOD VESSELS OF THE
SYSTEMIC CIRCULATION: VEINS
 The superior vena cava returns blood from
the head, neck, thorax, and upper limbs to the
right atrium of the heart.
 The inferior vena cava returns blood from
the abdomen, pelvis, and lower limbs to the
right atrium.
VEINS OF THE HEAD AND NECK
 There are two major veins that drain blood from the head
and neck: the external jugular veins, the more superficial of
the two and drain blood from the posterior head and neck,
emptying primarily into the subclavian veins, and the
internal jugular veins, much larger and deeper and drain
blood from the brain and the anterior head, face, and neck.
 The internal jugular veins join the subclavian veins on each
side of the body to form the brachiocephalic veins. The
brachiocephalic veins join to form the superior vena cava.
VEINS OF THE UPPER LIMBS
 The veins of the upper limbs can be divided into deep and
superficial groups.
 The deep veins drain the deep structures of upper limbs,
follow the same course as the arteries and are named for
their respective arteries. These are the brachial, axillary,
and subclavian.
 The superficial veins drain the superficial structures of the
upper limbs and then empty into the deep veins. These are
the cephalic, basilic, and median cubital.
VEINS OF THE THORAX
 Three major veins return blood from the thorax to the superior
vena cava: the right and left brachiocephalic veins and the
azygos vein.
 Blood drains from the anterior thoracic wall by way of the
anterior intercostal veins. These veins empty into the internal
thoracic veins, which empty into the brachiocephalic veins.
 Blood from the posterior thoracic is collected by posterior
intercostal veins that drain into the azygos vein on the right
and the hemiazygos vein or the accessory hemiazygos vein on
the left.
VEINS OF THE ABDOMEN AND
PELVIS
 Posterior abdominal wall veins join the azygos veins.
 Veins from the kidneys, adrenal glands, and gonads directly
enter the inferior vena cava.
 Veins from the stomach, intestines, spleen, and pancreas
connect with the hepatic portal vein, which transports blood
to the liver for processing. The hepatic veins from the liver
join the inferior vena cava.
VEINS OF THE LOWER LIMBS
 The veins of the lower limbs, like those of the upper limbs,
consist of deep and superficial groups.
 The deep veins course with the deep arteries and have
similar names.
 The superficial veins are the great and small saphenous
veins.
PHYSIOLOGY OF
CIRCULATION
BLOOD PRESSURE
 Blood pressure is a measure of the force exerted by blood
against the blood vessel walls.
 Systolic pressure happens when the ventricles contract, forcing
the blood to the arteries and the pressure reaches a maximum
value.
 Diastolic pressure happens when the ventricles relax and the
blood pressure in the arteries falls to a minimum value.
 Blood pressure can be measured by listening for Korotkoff
sounds produced as blood flows through arteries partially
constricted by a blood pressure cuff.
PRESSURE AND RESISTANCE
 In a normal adult, blood pressure fluctuates
between 120 mm Hg (systolic) and 80 mm Hg
(diastolic) in the aorta. If blood vessels constrict,
resistance to blood flow increases, and blood
flow decreases.
 PULSE PRESSURE
 Pulse pressure is the difference between systolic
and diastolic pressures. Pulse pressure increases
when stroke volume increases. A pulse can be
detected when large arteries are near the body
surface.
CAPILLARY EXCHANGE
 Most exchange across the wall of the capillary occurs by
diffusion.
 Blood pressure, capillary permeability, and osmosis
affect movement of fluid across the wall of the capillaries.
There is a net movement of fluid from the blood into
tissues. The fluid gained by the tissues is removed by the
lymphatic system.
CONTROL OF BLOOD FLOW
IN TISSUES
 Blood flow provided to the tissues by the circulatory
system is highly controlled and matched closely to the
metabolic needs of tissues.
 Mechanisms that control the blood flow through
tissues are classified as (1) local control or (2) nervous
and hormonal control.
LOCAL CONTROL OF BLOOD
FLOW

 Blood flow through a tissue is usually

proportional to the metabolic needs of the tissue
and is controlled by the precapillary sphincters.
NERVOUS AND HORMONAL
CONTROL OF BLOOD FLOW
 The vasomotor center (sympathetic division) controls blood
vessel diameter. Other brain areas can excite or inhibit the
vasomotor center.
 Vasomotor tone is the state of partial constriction of blood
vessels.
 The nervous system is responsible for routing the flow of blood,
except in the capillaries, and for maintaining blood pressure.
 Epinephrine and norepinephrine released by the adrenal
medulla alter blood vessel diameter.
REGULATION OF ARTERIAL
PRESSURE
 Mean arterial pressure (MAP) is proportional to cardiac
output times the peripheral resistance.
MAP = HR X SV X PR

HR= heart rate

SV= stroke volume
PR= peripheral resistance
BARORECEPTOR REFLEXES
 Baroreceptors are sensitive to stretch.
 Baroreceptors are located in the carotid sinuses and the
aortic arch.
 The baroreceptor reflex change peripheral resistance,
heart rate, and stroke volume in response to changes in
blood pressure.
CHEMORECEPTOR REFLEXES
 Chemoreceptors are sensitive to changes in blood
oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH.
 Chemoreceptors are located in the carotid bodies and
the aortic bodies.
 The chemoreceptor reflex increases peripheral
resistance in response to low oxygen levels, high
carbon dioxide levels, and reduced blood pH.
HORMONAL MECHANISMS
 Epinephrine released from the adrenal medulla as a result of
sympathetic stimulation increases heart rate, stroke volume, and
vasoconstriction.
 The kidneys release renin in response to low blood pressure. Renin
promotes the production of angiotensin II, which causes
vasoconstriction and increased in secretion of aldosterone. Aldosterone
reduces urine output.
 Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) released from the posterior pituitary
causes vasoconstriction and reduces urine output.
 The heart releases atrial natriuretic hormone when atrial blood
pressure increases. Atrial natriuretic hormone stimulates an increase in
urine production, causing a decrease in blood volume and blood
pressure.
SUMMARY OF REGULATORY
MECHANISMS

 The baroreceptor, chemoreceptor, and adrenal

medullary reflex mechanisms are most important in
short-term regulation of blood pressure.
 Hormonal mechanisms, such as the renin-
angiotensin-aldosterone system, antidiuretic
hormone, and atrial natriuretic hormone, are more
important in long-term regulation of blood pressure.
EFFECTS OF AGING ON THE
BLOOD VESSELS
 Reduced elasticity and thickening of arterial walls result in
hypertension and decreased ability to respond to changes in
blood pressure.
 Atherosclerosis is an age-related condition. It’s a result from the
deposition of material in the walls of arteries that forms plaques.
 The efficiency of capillary exchange decreases with age.
 Walls of veins thicken in some areas and dilate in others.
Thrombi, emboli, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids are age-
related conditions.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH!!!