Arteries - circulation, Biology

Assignment Help:

Arteries - Circulation

The arteries deliver blood from the heart. Figure shows the structure of arteries and the different layers of the vessel wall. The thick walls of these blood vessels, except those of the smallest, are supplied by their own capillary network called vasa vasoram. The arteries serve four main functions:

  1. To act as a conduit for blood between heart and capillaries,
  2. To act as a pressure reservoir for forcing blood into small diameter arterioles,
  3. To produce a more or less even flow of blood through the capillaries,
  4. To control distribution of blood to different capillary networks via selective constriction of the terminal branches

 

 

143_Arteries - Circulation.png

Figure: Major structures in peripheral blood circulation in mammals. Blood flows from the arteries through the capillaries into the veins (id is internal diameter).

There is a precise control on arterial blood pressure. The nature of the arterial wall and the volume of blood pumped into the arteries determine the pressure. If any of these are changed, the pressure will also change. Normally, arterial blood pressure varies very little as cardiac output and capillary flow is evenly matched.

The elastic properties of arterial walls vary. Close to the heart the arteries are elastic and dampen the oscillations in pressure and flow generated by the contractions of the heart. As the heart relaxes the pressure in the arteries is maintained by a reduction in vessel volume. If the arteries were rigid tubes then the same pressure fluctuations would be experienced by peripheral vessels as that observed when blood leaves the heart.


Related Discussions:- Arteries - circulation

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis, Q. Balloon Aortic Valvulo...

Q. Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis? This is the procedure of choice in children and young individuals where the valve is not calcified. In elderly patients wit

How do homeotic genes regulate development in drosophila, How do homeotic g...

How do homeotic genes regulate development in Drosophila? Homeotic genes code for regulatory proteins that are thought to control the rate of cell division in various body area

Descriptions of the genera, Q. Descriptions of the genera? A manual is ...

Q. Descriptions of the genera? A manual is a book that contains information on the area of coverage and keys and descriptions of the families, genera and species including the

Determine about the nervous tissues, Determine about the nervous tissues ...

Determine about the nervous tissues The nervous tissues throughout the body, including the visual nervous system, are continuously active. Electrical reactions can only be indu

Define food intake and energy requirements for humans, Define Food Intake a...

Define Food Intake and Energy Requirements for Humans? Many studies have shown that the subjects loose significant amounts of body mass; fat mass, as well as, fat free mass du

Emulsion products, E m u l s io n products Ground meat products s...

E m u l s io n products Ground meat products such as sausages, patties and luncheon meats are emulsion based products and their quality depends upon the ability of lean m

Floating stage - hydrarch, Floating Stage - Hydrarch The pond is now c...

Floating Stage - Hydrarch The pond is now colonised by plant species which are rooted in mud but their leaves reach water surface and float. These are species of Nelumbo, Nymp

Pennetula, identifying characters of pennetula

identifying characters of pennetula

Australopithecines, The first ever australopithecine fossil was found in 19...

The first ever australopithecine fossil was found in 1924 at Taung, South Africa. It was the skull of a 6 year old child showing a mixture of human and ape like features. This a

State the stabilization of haem pigments, State the Stabilization of haem p...

State the Stabilization of haem pigments Ligands suggested for the stabilization of haem pigments are imidazole (and its derivatives), S-nitrosocysteine and nitrite. Whereas se

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd