8.2 Blood Vessels

• 3 examples of different components utilised in some blood vessels

  elastic fibres, smooth muscle, collagen
• What is the function of elastic fibres?

  composed of elastin and can stretch and recoil, providing vessel walls with flexibility
• What is the function of smooth muscle?

  contracts or relaxes, which changes the size of the lumen
• What is the lumen?

  channel within the blood vessel
• What is the function of collagen?

  provides structural support to maintain the shape and volume of the vessel
• What are the different types of blood vessel?

  Arteries and arterioles, capillaries, veins and venules
• Where do arteries carry blood?

  away from the heart to the tissues of the body
• What do arteries carry?

  oxygenated blood
• What 2 arteries do not carry oxygenated blood?

  pulmonary artery and umbilical artery
• What does the pulmonary artery carry?

  deoxygenated blood from heart to lungs
• What does umbilical artery carry?

  deoxygenated blood from foetus to placenta
• What is the blood pressure in arteries compared to veins?

  higher
• What do artery walls contain?

  elastic fibres, smooth muscle and collagen