BasicBloodVesselHistology!

Notedifferencebetweenthearteryandthevein,thethicknessofthevesselwallrelativetothelumenandtheshapeofthelumen.TheT.Mediaisthethickestlayerintheartery,whiletheT.Adventitia(akaTunicaexterna)isthethickestinthevein.Alsoyoucansee2valvesinthelumenofthevein(madefromtunicaintima).

Whydosomeveinshavevalves?Doanyarterieshavevalves?

valve

muscularartery- Easytoseeinternalelasticmembrane(IEM).Tunicamedia(TM)withsmoothmuscleTA=Tunicaadventicia (AKATunicaexterna).Externalelasticmembranealsoeasytosee.L=lumen,withlotsofRBC’sseentoo!

muscularartery– justlookatthattunicamedia(TM)!

Artery

VS.

Vein

lumen

lumenCanyouseetheT.Mediainarteryvs.T.Mediaofvein?

Tunicaexternainarteryvs.vein?

WhatisdifferentintheshapeofthelumenofAarteryvs.vein?Whatabouttheanatomy”ofanarterygivesitamoreroundedlumenVs.thefloppyveinlumen?

Howdoesthisdifferenceintheirtunicsdeterminesitsfunction?

Elasticartery–TunicaMediafilledwithelasticfibers(darksquiggles)

Elasticfibers=StretchandRecoiltokeepbloodmovingforward!

lumen

elasticarteryhighmagnification- thedarkstainedelasticfibersareeasilyseen!