Blood Vessels

• Arteries


  • Large
  • Carry blood at a very high pressure
• Artery walls


  • Thick middle layer
  • Contain muscle and elastic tissue
• Muscle tissue in arteries


  • Provides strength
  • Allows arteries to direct blood flow
• Elastic tissue in arteries


  Allows arteries to stretch and recoil
• Arteries


  • Relatively narrow lumen
  • Keeps the blood pressure high
• Arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to other parts of the body.