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Questions and Answers
What is the main function of arteries in the body?
To carry blood away from the heart and branch off into capillaries.
What is the purpose of the elastic fibers in the walls of arteries?
To relax and allow the artery to expand when the heart pumps blood, and contract to narrow the lumen and maintain high blood pressure when the heart is not pumping.
What is the function of capillaries in the body?
To enable cells to exchange different substances with the blood, supplying oxygen and glucose and removing waste products.
What is the significance of the narrow lumen of arteries?
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What is the main difference between the walls of arteries and veins?
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What is the function of valves in veins?
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What is the purpose of the large lumen of veins?
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What do capillaries supply to cells?
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What is the characteristic of the walls of capillaries?
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Study Notes
Arteries
- Carry blood away from the heart
- Branch off into capillaries
- Adapted to withstand high pressure and maintain it when the heart is relaxed
- Thick walls composed of elastic fibers and smooth muscle
- Relatively narrow lumen
- Elastic fibers relax when the heart pumps blood, allowing the artery to expand
- Elastic fibers contract when the heart is not pumping blood to maintain high blood pressure
Capillaries
- Tiny vessels surrounding cells
- Enable exchange of substances between blood and cells
- Supply cells with oxygen and glucose for respiration
- Remove waste products such as carbon dioxide and urea
- Permeable walls only one cell thick
- Provide a short distance for diffusion between blood and cells
- Increase the rate of diffusion
Veins
- Take blood from capillaries back to the heart
- Blood is under low pressure
- Walls of veins are not as thick as artery walls
- Large lumen to allow blood to flow despite low pressure
- Valves help to keep blood flowing in the right direction (prevent backflow)
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Description
Learn about the structure and function of arteries, including their role in transporting blood away from the heart and withstanding high pressure. Discover the adaptations that allow arteries to maintain blood pressure and their composition of elastic fibers and smooth muscle.
