The Cardiovascular System 7: The Vascular System 1

_______ are thick-walled blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart to the body tissues under relatively high blood pressure

All arteries in the adult except for the ____________ carry oxygenated blood.

Arteries consist of three distinc layers of tissues. These are the _________, the _________ and the __________.

Which is the only tunic that is present in all types of blood vessels?

The ________ is composed of simple squamous epithelium called __________ that rests on a basement membrane that contains both ____ and ______ fibers. It is an extension of the ________ lining of the heart. It's extreme smoothness prevents abnormal _______ and the ______ cells also secrete biochemicals that inhibit platelet _________.

The ____________ separates the tunica intima from the tunica media and is only found in _______. It is composed of ________.

______ are gaps that allow substances to diffuse to nourish the underlying cells. This gives the internal elastic lamina its ________ appearance.

The ________ is the lickest layer in large arteries and contains several lays of _______ fibers. It consists of _____ muscle fibers and a thick layer of __________.

The ________ is the outer wall of the artery and relatively _____ in these vessels. It consists mainly of _____ and ______ fibers. ________ attach and anchor the vessel to surrounding tissue.

The tunica externa contains minute vessels that give rise to _____ and provide a ________ to the more external cells of the arterial wall. These vessels are known as ________ which means vessels of vessels.

The ________ of arteries permits passive changes in the vessel diameter in response to changes in __________. This enables the arteries to withstand the force of the _____ and also stretch to accommodate the sudden ______ in blood volume that accompanies each _________.

________ gives arteries the ability to change in diameter actively under the control of the _______ division of the __________. Specifically, the smooth muscle of the ______ is innervated by the ____________.

When stimulated, arterial smooth muscles contract and this ______ the diameter of the blood vessel. This is referred to as ____________.

When sympathetic input is inhibited, the smooth muscle fibers relax and the diameter ______. This is referred to as _____________.

Small arterial branches that deliver blood to a capillary network are called ___________. These vessels are ________ in size and their structures resemble that of the large arteries, but as they approach the capillaries their walls become ______ and _______.

The smaller arterioles that lead to the capillaries consist of their ______ surrounded by only a single layer of __________.