Blood vessels
- Describe the types of blood vessels
Arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins are the types of blood vessels.
- Arteries: Carry oxygenated blood away from the heart.
- Arterioles: Branches of arteries that regulate blood pressure and flow.
- Capillaries: Tiny blood vessels where exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products occurs.
- Venules: Small blood vessels that collect deoxygenated blood from capillaries.
- Veins: Carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart.
- Explain anastomosis & arteriovenous anastomosis
Anastomosis: Connecting blood vessels that allows blood to flow from one vessel to another. Arteriovenous anastomosis: Connection between an artery and a vein that allows blood to bypass capillaries.
Arteriovenous anastomosis:
- Artery → Anastomosis → Vein
- Bypasses capillaries
- Regulates blood flow and pressure in the skin
- Describe the types of blood circulation
There are two types of blood circulation: systemic circulation and pulmonary circulation.
- Systemic circulation: Carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body and back again.
- Pulmonary circulation: Carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs and back again.
- Describe foetal circulation
Foetal circulation is the circulation of blood in a fetus.
Fetal circulation:
- Oxygenated blood from the placenta → Umbilical vein → Liver → IVC → Right atrium → Foramen ovale → Left atrium → Left ventricle → Aorta → Umbilical arteries
- Deoxygenated blood from the fetus → Umbilical arteries → IVC → Right atrium → Tricuspid valve → Right ventricle → Pulmonary valve → Pulmonary artery → Ductus arteriosus → Aorta