ANP 1105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Tunica Externa, Tunica Intima, Tunica Media

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Anatomy and Physiology
• Course: ANP 1105
• Professor: Joanne Savory

Document Summary

Blood vessels: delivery system of dynamic structures that begins and ends at the heart arteries - arterioles - capillaries - venules - veins. Arteries : carry blood away from the heart (mostly carry oxygenated blood) Veins : carry blood towards the heart (mostly carry deoxygenated blood) Lumen : central blood-containing space (through which the blood ows) Three wall layers (tunics) in arteries & veins - surround the lumen. Endothelium: (inner most layer) simple, squamous epithelium that lines lumen of all vessels. Sub endothelial layer: connective tissue basement membrane. Mostly smooth muscle and sheets of elastic bres. Sympathetic vasomotor nerve bres innervate this layer (vaso constriction & vasodilation) - we don"t have control over it, but the autonomic nervous system will control the dilation of it. Mostly loose connective bres; protect & reinforce wall & anchor it to surrounding structures. Vasa vasorum: system of tiny blood vessels found in larger vessels. Their function is to nourish the outermost external layer.