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

Functions of mitochondria, FUNCTION S OF MITOCHONDRIA Cell Oxidation ...

FUNCTION S OF MITOCHONDRIA Cell Oxidation - Mitochondria plays an important role in ATP synthesis during aerobic respiration. Mitochondria are known as Power house of cell b

What are the different radiographic techniques, Q. What are the different r...

Q. What are the different radiographic techniques used for assessing osseointegration? The different radiographic techniques used to assess osseointegration prior to stage 2 su

How many progeny flies are expected, How many progeny flies are expected to...

How many progeny flies are expected to have full wings and gray bodies?

Define drug-nutrient interaction and drug- drug interactions, Define drug-n...

Define drug-nutrient interaction and drug- drug interactions? Generally, administering oral medication along with the food or at a mealtime is a convenient manner of drug dosin

What do you mean by the coelom, Q. What is the coelom? To which structures ...

Q. What is the coelom? To which structures do coeloms give birth? Are all animals coelomate? Coeloms are cavities delimited by mesoderm and Coeloms originate the cavities where

Oogenesis, explain full about this process

explain full about this process

Tropical seasonal forests - ecosystem, Tropical seasonal forests - Ecosyste...

Tropical seasonal forests - Ecosystem Tropical seasonal forests occur in regions where total annual rainfall is very high but segregated into pronounced wet and dry periods. T

Describe the relation between nutritional and infections, Nutritional and ...

Nutritional and Infections The interaction between nutrition and  infection  is  synergistic -  that is  nutritional deficiency lowers resistance  to infection and infection ag

Define phases of the absorption of iron, Define phases of the absorption of...

Define phases of the absorption of iron? The process of absorption is divided into three phases: i) Iron uptake by enterocytes (epithelial cell of the superficial layer of t

Explain the limiting factors for the growth of a population, What are the m...

What are the main limiting factors for the growth of a population? The factors that limit the growth of a population can be divided into biotic factors and abiotic factors. The

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