Blood Vessels

Circulatory System
Three basic components:
Heart - serves as pump that establishes the
pressure gradient needed for blood to flow to
tissues
Blood - transport medium within which materials
being transported are dissolved or suspended
Blood vessels - passageways through which
blood is distributed from heart to all parts of body
and back to heart
 Types Of Blood Vessels
Arteries carry blood away from the heart
Capillaries smallest blood vessels
The site of exchange of molecules between blood and tissue fluid
Veins carry blood toward the heart
arteries arterioles capillaries venules veins
 Functions Of Blood Vessels

Arteries - carry blood away from heart

Arterioles - small arteries that deliver blood to
capillaries
Capillaries thin walled vessels allow for
exchange between blood and tissue cells
Venules - collect and drain blood into veins
Veins - return blood to heart
 Structure Of Blood Vessels
Composed of three layers (tunics)
Tunica intima composed of simple squamous epithelium
Tunica media sheets of smooth muscle
Contraction vasoconstriction
Relaxation vasodilation
Tunica externa composed of connective tissue
Lumen - central blood-filled space of a vessel
 Structural Differences
Arteries have thicker tunica media and narrower lumens
Veins have thicker tunica externa
Arteries have more elastic and collagen fibers
Veins have larger lumens and valves
 Types Of Arteries
Elastic arteries the largest arteries
Diameters range from 2.5 cm to 1 cm
Includes the aorta and its major branches
Sometimes called conducting arteries
High elastin content dampens surge of blood
pressure
 Types Of Arteries
Muscular (distributing) arteries
Lie distal to elastic arteries
Diameters range from 1 cm to 0.3 mm
Includes most named arteries
Tunica media is thick
Unique features
Internal and external elastic laminae
 Types Of Arteries
Arterioles
Smallest arteries
Diameters range from 0.3 mm to 10 m
Larger arterioles possess all three tunics
Diameter of arterioles controlled by:
Local factors in the tissues
Sympathetic nervous system
 Capillaries
Smallest blood vessels
Diameter from 810 m
Red blood cells pass through single file
Endothelial cells held together by tight junctions and desmosomes
Routes into and out of capillaries
Direct diffusion
Through intercellular clefts - gaps of unjoined membrane where
small molecules can enter and exit
Through fenestrations - pores
 Capillaries
Site-specific functions of capillaries
Lungs oxygen enters blood, carbon dioxide leaves
Small intestines receive digested nutrients
Endocrine glands pick up hormones
Kidneys removal of nitrogenous wastes
Tendons and ligaments poorly vascularized
Epithelia and cartilage avascular, receive
nutrients from nearby CT
 Capillaries
Three types of capillary
Continuous most common
Fenestrated have pores
Sinusoids
 Sinusoids
Wide, leaky capillaries found in some organs
Usually fenestrated
Have large diameters
Intercellular clefts are wide open
Occur in bone marrow, liver, spleen and lymphoid tissue
 Capillary Beds
An interconnected network of vessels running through tissues
Consists of:
Collateral arteries feeding an arteriole
Metarterioles
Arteriovenous anastomoses
Capillaries
Venules
 Capillary Beds
Precapillary sphincters - regulate the flow of blood to
tissues
 Veins

Conduct blood from capillaries

toward the heart
Blood pressure is much lower
than in arteries
Smallest veins called venules
Diameters from 8 100 m
Smallest venules called
postcapillary venules
Venules join to form veins
 Role Of Veins
To return blood to the heart, veins have special adaptations
Large-diameter lumens, which offer little resistance to flow
Valves (resembling semilunar heart valves), which prevent backflow of
blood
Skeletal muscle pump - muscles press against thin-walled veins
 Pulmonary Circulation
Consists of blood vessels that take the blood to and from the lungs for
the purpose of gas exchange
Pulmonary Trunk: oxygen-poor blood leaves the right ventricle via the
pulmonary trunk; large artery that branches to left and right pulmonary
arteries
Pulmonary Arteries : take the blood to the lung where oxygen is picked up
and CO2 is left off
Pulmonary Veins: blood returns to the heart via four pulmonary veins that
go to the left atrium
 Systemic Circulation

Consists of blood vessels

that extend to and from
the heart delivers oxygen
and nutrients to body
tissues picks up CO2 and
waste products
 The Aorta And Vena Cava
Ascending aorta arises from the left
ventricle branches to form coronary arteries
Aortic arch lies posterior to the
manubrium branches to form
Brachiocephalic trunk
Left common carotid
Left subclavian arteries
Descending aorta continues from the
aortic arch
Thoracic aorta in the region of T 5
T12
Abdominal aorta ends at L4
Divides into right and left common
iliac arteries
Superior/Inferior vena cava returns
blood from the systemic veins to the
heart
 The Hepatic Portal System
A specialized part of the vascular circuit
Picks up digested nutrients
Delivers nutrients to the liver for processing
 Veins Of The Hepatic Portal System
Hepatic veins

Gastric veins
Liver
Spleen
Inferior vena cava
Hepatic portal vein
Splenic vein

Inferior
mesenteric vein
Superior
mesenteric vein
Small intestine
Large intestine

Rectum
 Cerebral Arterial Circle (Circle Of Willis)
Circle equalizes blood pressure in the brain and can provide alternative channels if one vessel becomes blocked
The circle is formed from : posterior cerebral arteries, posterior communicating arteries, internal carotid arteries,
anterior cerebral arteries, and anterior communicating arteries

Anterior Cerebral arterial circle

(circle of Willis)

Anterior
communicating
artery
Middle Anterior
cerebral cerebral artery
artery
Internal
carotid Posterior
artery
communicating
artery
Posterior
cerebral artery
Basilar artery

Vertebral artery

(c) Posterior
Arteries Of The Right Upper Limb And Thorax
Common carotid
Vertebral artery arteries
Right subclavian
artery
Suprascapular artery Left subclavian
artery
Axillary artery Left axillary
artery
Brachiocephalic
trunk

Brachial artery Anterior

intercostal
artery

Descending
aorta
Radial
artery
Ulnar
artery

(b)
Arteries Of The Head And Neck, Right Aspect

Internal
carotid artery
External
carotid artery
Common
carotid artery

Subclavian
Brachiocephalic
artery
trunk
Axillary
Internal thoracic
artery
artery
(a)
 Major Branches Of The Abdominal Aorta
Diaphragm

Adrenal Suprarenal
gland artery

Celiac trunk Renal artery

Kidney Superior
mesenteric artery

Gonadal
Abdominal
artery
aorta

Inferior
mesenteric artery

Common iliac
artery
 The Celiac Trunk And Its Main Branches

Liver
Inferior vena cava
Celiac trunk Left gastric
artery

Common hepatic
artery Splenic artery
Right gastric artery Spleen

Superior
Abdominal aorta mesenteric
artery
(b)
Arteries Of The Right Pelvis And Lower Limb

Common iliac artery

Internal iliac artery

External iliac artery

Popliteal artery

Anterior tibial
artery
Femoral artery Fibular artery
Posterior
tibial
Popliteal artery artery

Anterior tibial artery

Posterior tibial artery
Fibular artery
(b) Posterior view

(a) Anterior view

Flow Chart Summarizing Main Systemic Arteries

Figure 19.17
 Systemic Veins
Three major veins enter the right atrium
Superficial veins lie just beneath the skin
Multivein bundles venous plexuses
Unusual patterns of venous drainage
Dural sinuses
Hepatic portal system
 Venae Cavae and Tributaries
Superior vena cava
Returns blood from body regions superior to the
diaphragm
Inferior vena cava
Returns blood from body regions inferior to the
diaphragm
Superior and inferior vena cava
Join the right atrium
 Major veins of the systemic circulation.
Dural sinuses
External jugular vein Subclavian vein
Vertebral vein Right and left
Internal jugular vein brachiocephalic veins
Cephalic vein
Superior vena cava
Axillary vein Brachial vein
Great cardiac vein Basilic vein
Hepatic veins Splenic vein
Hepatic portal vein Median cubital vein
Superior mesenteric Renal vein
vein Inferior mesenteric vein
Inferior vena cava

Ulnar vein
Radial vein
Digital veins
Common iliac vein Internal iliac vein
External iliac vein
Femoral vein
Great saphenous vein
Popliteal vein
Posterior tibial vein
Anterior tibial vein
Fibular vein
 Dural Sinuses In The Cranium
Superior sagittal
sinus
Falx cerebri
Inferior sagittal
sinus
Straight sinus
Cavernous
sinus
Junction of
sinuses
Transverse
sinuses
Sigmoid sinus

Jugular foramen

Right internal
jugular vein (b)
 Veins of the head and Neck
Ophthalmic vein

Superficial
temporal vein
Facial vein
Occipital vein
Posterior
auricular vein
External
jugular vein
Vertebral vein
Internal
jugular vein
Superior and
middle thyroid
veins
Brachiocephalic
vein
Subclavian
vein
Superior
vena cava (a)
Veins Of The Right Upper Limb And Thorax Wall
Internal jugular vein
External jugular vein
Right subclavian vein Brachiocephalic veins
Left subclavian vein
Superior vena cava
Axillary vein Azygos vein
Accessory
Brachial vein
hemiazygos vein
Cephalic vein
Basilic vein Hemiazygos vein
Posterior intercostals
Inferior vena cava
Median Ascending
cubital vein lumbar vein

Median vein of the forearm

Basilic vein
Cephalic Ulnar vein
vein Radial vein

Deep palmar
venous arch
Superficial palmar
venous arch
Digital veins

(a)
 Antecubital Fossa
Form anastomese
frequently
Median cubital
vein is used to
obtain blood or
administer IV fluids

Figure 19.22
Veins Of The Right Upper Limb And Thorax Wall
Brachiocephalic
veins
Superior vena
cava
1
Left superior
2
intercostal
3 vein
4
Azygos vein
5
Accessory
6 hemiazygos
vein
7
Intercostal Hemiazygos
veins 8 vein

9 Intercostal
veins
10

11 Ascending
12 lumbar vein
Inferior vena
cava Renal vein
(b)
 Veins of the Abdomen
Lumbar veins
Gonadal (testicular or ovarian) veins
Renal veins
Suprarenal veins
Hepatic veins
 Tributaries Of The Inferior Vena Cava

Inferior phrenic
Hepatic veins vein

Inferior vena cava Left suprarenal

Right vein
suprarenal vein
Renal veins

Left ascending
lumbar vein
Right
gonadal vein Lumbar veins
Left gonadal
vein
Common iliac
vein

External iliac Internal iliac

vein vein
Dissection of the posterior abdominal wall
Right Left

Diaphragm

Hepatic
veins

Inferior
vena cava

Renal veins

Abdominal
aorta

Common
iliac veins
 Veins of the Pelvis and Lower Limbs
Deep veins
Share the name of the accompanying artery
Superficial veins
Great saphenous vein empties into the femoral
vein
Small saphenous vein empties into the popliteal
vein
 Veins Of The Right Lower Limb And Pelvis

Common iliac vein

Internal iliac vein
External iliac vein
Inguinal ligament

Femoral vein
Great saphenous
vein (superficial)
Great saphenous vein
Popliteal vein
Popliteal vein Anterior tibial vein
Fibular (peroneal) vein
Fibular (peroneal) Small saphenous vein
vein (superficial)
Anterior tibial vein Posterior tibial vein
Dorsalis pedis vein Plantar veins
Dorsal venous arch
Metatarsal veins Plantar arch
Digital veins
(a) (b)
 Flowchart Summarizing The Main Veins
Veins of R. External jugular R. vertebral Intracranial
R. upper superficial cervical spinal dural sinuses
limb head and neck cord and vertebrae
R. internal jugular
R. subclavian dural sinuses of the brain
R. axillary R. head, neck,
and upper limb Same as R. brachiocephalic

R. brachiocephalic L. brachiocephalic
R. side of head and R. upper limb L. side of head and L. upper limb
Superior vena cava Azygos system
runs from union of brachiocephalic drains much of
veins behind manubrium to R. atrium thorax
R. atrium of heart
Diaphragm
Inferior vena cava
runs from junction of common iliac
veins at L5 to R. atrium of heart
L. and R. hepatic veins
R. suprarenal liver
(L. suprarenal drains into L. renal vein)
adrenal glands L. and R. renal veins
kidneys
R. gonadal
(L. gonadal drains into L. renal vein) Lumbar veins (several pairs)
testis or ovary posterior abdominal wall

R. common iliac L. common iliac

pelvis and R. lower limb pelvis and L. lower limb

Veins of Veins of
(a) R. lower limb L. lower limb