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

What are deciduous trees, What are deciduous trees? The Deciduous trees...

What are deciduous trees? The Deciduous trees are plants that lose their leaves in a period of the year and in the case of the deciduous trees of the temperate forest the fall

How does vitamin c act in the body, How does vitamin C act in the body? Wha...

How does vitamin C act in the body? What is the harm caused by insufficiency of vitamin C? Why was this deficiency also known as "sailors' disease"? Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid

Explain the nutritional management of eating disorders, Explain the Nutriti...

Explain the Nutritional Management of Eating Disorders? Good nutritional management of patients with eating disorders requires attention to a number of areas. It is important t

State the list of behavioural observations, State the list of Behavioural O...

State the list of Behavioural Observations A typical list of domains would include the following: Mood and affect Motivation and cooperation Social interaction

#classification of parasitic protozoa.., most recent classification of para...

most recent classification of parasitic protozoa with its general characters

What is the function of the testicles, Q. Concerning reproduction what is t...

Q. Concerning reproduction what is the function of the testicles? The testicles are the male gonad that is the organs where the production of gametes takes place. In human bein

Examples of diseases normally spread by droplets, Q. (a) In droplet infecti...

Q. (a) In droplet infection (i) where do the droplets come from, (ii) what infective agents might they contain? (b) Give two examples of diseases normally spread

Explain the dietary management of sepsis and mods, Explain the Dietary Mana...

Explain the Dietary Management of Sepsis and MODS? Patients suffering from sepsis and/or resultant multiple system organ dysfunctions are critically ill and admitted in the int

Classification of diabetes mellitus, Classification of Diabetes Mellitus ...

Classification of Diabetes Mellitus a) Type1Diabetes Mellitus i) Type 1 a ii) Type 1 b b) Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus c) Others i) Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

What would be the probability the result, A plant grown from one of Mendel'...

A plant grown from one of Mendel's yellow pea is selfed. Three progeny peas from this are obtained and they are all green. Is the original plant homozygous or heterozygous, and wha

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