*heart note:

The hormone thyroxine (which comes from the thyroid gland)

Causes an increase in heart rate by binding to receptors on
myocardium (heart muscle)
o Also enhances the effects of epinephrine & norepinephrine
Vessels
Three types in the human body:
o Arteries Carries blood away from the heart
o Capillaries Exchange materials between the blood and
body tissues (cells)
o Veins Carries blood towards the heart
Anatomy of Vessels
Arteries & veins have 3 layers of tissue:
1. Tunica Intima
a. Innermost layer
b. Very thin
c. 1 cell layer of endothelium + delicate layer of
connective tissue (for support)
2. Tunica Media
a. Circular smooth muscle
b. Elastic fibers (elastin)
c. This layer is innervated by the autonomic nervous
system
i. The autonomic nervous system controls the
smooth muscle, allowing it for vasoconstriction
and vasodilation
d. Thicker in the arteries than veins
3. Tunica Externa
a. Made of collagen rich connective tissue
b. Function: Protection & support
c. This layer contains Vaso Vasorum their own
miniature blood supply; Small vessels feeding the
walls of larger vessels
Arteries
Different types of arteries:
1. Elastic Arteries
a. Arteries closest to the heart
b. Has a lot of elastin to expand & recoil from blood
from heart
c. Have the thickest walls
d. Sometimes called Conducting Arteries

e. This includes: the aorta and major branches off the

aorta
2. Muscular Arteries
a. They deliver blood to organs
b. They have the thickest tunica media in proportion
c. These muscular arteries are active vasoconstrictors
3. Arterioles
a. Smallest arteries
b. Decrease in diameter
c. Decrease in smooth muscle
d. Decrease in elastin, etc.
e. They regulate flow into capillary beds
Capillaries
Comprised of one thin layer of endothelial cells
o And tiny bit of connective tissue
Around the walls of capillaries are cells called Pericytes
o These cells behave as single smooth muscle-like cells
o They help with structure, shape, regulate flow (Exchange)
o They also act as stem cells which help repair damaged
capillaries
Three Types:
1. Continuous Capillaries
a. Most common in the human body
b. Found in: skin, muscles, lungs, & central nervous
system
c. The walls of the capillaries are mostly tight cellular
junctions, so these are the least porous
d. Between these tight junctions, there are occasionally
intercellular cleft (an opening; slits) to allow for
fluid passage into & out of the capillary
e. Brain capillaries specifically does not have clefts
This helps create the blood/brain barrier
2. Fenestrated Capillaries
a. They have fenestrations (opened pores)
b. The are found in the kidney, small intestines, areas
dealing with filtration/absorption
c. They are more permeable than continuous capillaries
3. Sinusoid Capillaries
a. Found in the liver, bone marrow, adrenal medulla, &
the spleen
b. The most porous type of capillary
i. Because they contain both fenestrations and
clefts

c. Allow very large molecules, even cells, to pass

through
d. We usually find a high concentration of macrophages
around these capillaries
e. Example: There is something called Stellate
Macrophages in the liver.

New notes: 2/11

Still continuing capillaries

Metarteriole & thoroughfare channel act as a vascular shunt

o When precapillary sphincters are closed, blood bypasses
the true capillaries

Venus System
Venules The smallest veins that drain capillary beds
o Thin-walled
o Porous
o Around the venules, there are much white blood cell
collection & diffusion (white blood cells move in and out of
vascular system; Diapedesis)
o There are almost no smooth muscle (Tunica media)
Veins
Veins have all three tunics
Tunica media is much thinner than arteries
Tunica externa is the thickest layer in veins
Veins are low pressure compared to arteries
Two intrinsic anatomical modification assisting venus blood
return to the heart:
1. Large Lumens makes it easier for flow
a. i.e. drains coming into house are smaller.
b. Drains leaving house are larger
2. One-way-valves (venus valves)
a. Varicose Veins Valves malfunction/wear out causing
blood to flow back
Venus Sinuses They are highly specialized, thin walled veins
that receive blood & feed it into the heart
o i.e. Coronary Sinus on the heart

o i.e. Dural Sinuses in the brain

Anastomoses These are connections (vessels) between arteries
(or veins) that provide alternate routes of blood flow to/from an
organ.
o Venus anastomoses are more common than arterial
anastomoses

Trace a Drop of Blood in the Human Body:

Starts are Right/Left Atrium

Right Atrium (Low O2)

Tricuspid/Right AV Valve
Right Ventricle
Pulmonary Semilunar Valve
Pulmonary Trunk
Pulmonary Arteries
Pulmonary Capillaries (O2 pickup/CO2 discharge)
Pulmonary Veins (High O2)
Left Atrium
Bicuspid Vitral/Left AV Valve
Left Ventricle
Aortic Semilunar Valve
Aorta
Muscular Arteries
Arterioles
Systemic Capillaries (O2 discharge/CO2 pickup)
Venules (Low O2)
Veins
Superior/Inferior Vena Cava

Circulatory Physiology
Definitions:
Blood Flow Measured in ml/min (same as cardiac output)

Blood Pressure The force exerted on the vessel walls by blood &
is measured in mmHg
o Blood pressure usually measured at arteries near the heart
Peripheral Resistance Opposition to flow
o There are 3 factors causing resistance:
i. Blood Viscosity determined by red blood cell
count (hematocrit)
ii. Vessel Length
iii. Vessel Diameter Changes frequently; Has the
greatest effect on resistance to blood pressure
Smallest arteries have the greatest
resistance

***Blood flow is directly related to blood pressure***

When blood pressure increases, flow increases
***Flow is inversely related to resistance***
As resistance increases, flow decreases
Flow= Pressure/Resistance
***Resistance is more important in determining/influencing blood flow
than blood pressure***
Arterial Blood Pressure
Pressure in arteries are dependent on
o Elasticity of the vessel
o Volume of blood being forced into the vessel
Systolic Pressure Pressure exerted on vessel walls during ventricular
contraction
~120mmHg
Diastolic Pressure Pressure exerted on vessel walls during ventricular
relaxation
~80mmHg
Pulse Pressure Mathematical measurement
Systolic Pressure Diastolic Pressure = Pulse pressure
~40mmHg
Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) Pressure actually forcing blood to
tissue/cells
Most important reading compared to the others
MAP = Diastolic + Pulse Pressure/3
MAP = 80 + 40/3 (~13) = ~93mmHg