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

Sunshine recorder, Sunshine recorder Sunshine recorder (Figure shown be...

Sunshine recorder Sunshine recorder (Figure shown below) measures the duration of sunshine. The recorder consists essentially of a glass sphere of about 10 cm in diameter mount

Characteristics of metazoa, Characteristics of Metazoa The unicellular...

Characteristics of Metazoa The unicellular protozoans are highly versatile and successful organisms that show remarkable organization and division of labour within the confine

Vital dye staining, Vital Dye Staining In this type of method, a piec...

Vital Dye Staining In this type of method, a piece of agar or cellophane soaked in the solution of a vital dye (Neutral Red, Nile Blue Sulphate, and Bismarck Brown etc.) is a

Evolution, related words for reproductive isolation.

related words for reproductive isolation.

Current approach of liberal management in peptic ulcer, Q. Current approach...

Q. Current approach of liberal management in peptic ulcer? Current approach of liberal management in peptic ulcer medical nutrition therapy postulates: It is the individual pat

Define requirements of fat in postoperative nutritional care, Define Requir...

Define Requirements of Fat in Postoperative Nutritional Care Adequate amount of fat is needed to build up and maintain tissue fat reserves. Depending upon the existing health a

Population, Population was defined by Clarke in 1954. The term populat...

Population was defined by Clarke in 1954. The term population refers to the total number of individuals of a sp. occupying a particular geographic aera at a given time. A s

Determine the synaptic process, Since neurotransmitters are not consumed in...

Since neurotransmitters are not consumed in the synaptic process, what are the mechanisms to decrease their concentrations in the synaptic cleft after they have been used? As t

Respiration, what is the meaning of direct and indirect respiration

what is the meaning of direct and indirect respiration

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