Cardiovascular

System

Cardiovascula
r System

Heart

Blood vessels

Arteries

Veins

Lyphatics

Capillaries

H eart
3 layers:
a) Endocardiuminner layer
b) Myocardiummiddle layer
c) Epicardium (pericardium)outer layer

Large mass of muscle

Cardiac muscle: variant form of striated muscle
)Small cells; butted together at ends
)Irregularly shaped
)Numerous blood vessels between them
)Network of fibers

Myocardiumgreek myos (muscle); kardio (heart)

)The mass of muscle that comprises the organ
)stringy look compared to skeletal muscle

Intercalated disks
Most prominent feature
Specialized cell-to-cell adhesion or communication site
Demarcates the beginning of one myocyte and the end
of the next

Intercalated disks
Represent the interface between adjacent muscle cells where
many junction complexes are present
desmosomes
facia adherentes

bind cardiac cells firmly

together to prevent their
pulling apart under
constant contractile act

gap junctionsionic continuity between adjacent cells

electrical synapses
allow heart muscles to act as in a
multinucleated syncitium

Endocardium
Inner lining
Among the most metabolically active tissue
Also covers the valve cusps
Simple squamous epithelial covering + subendothelial
CT
+ middle layer: connective tissue + smooth muscle
+ subendocardial layer: continuous to myocardium
: conducting system of the heart

M yocardium
Principal component of the heart
Thickest layer
Arranged in layers that surround the heart chambers in
complex spiral
Thicker in ventrices than in atria

Epicardium
Visceral part of serous pericardium
Outer surface of the heart
Single layer of mesothelial cells (simple squamous)
+ CT and adipose tissue
Parietal: line the inner surface of pericardium
: surrounds the heart and roots of great vessels
*15-50 mL= amount of pericardial fluid

Blood Vessels
Artery: vessel which carries
oxygenated blood
Vein: carries deoxygenated
blood
Capillary: channel which
connects arterial and
venous system

G eneralFeatures
1. Tunica intima:
innermost layer
a. Endothelium: simple
squamous epithelium
b. Subendothelial layer:
loose CT with
occasional smooth
muscle cells
c. Internal elastic lamina/
membrane (arteries):
has elastin
: holes (fenestrae)allow
diffusion of substances to

G eneralFeatures
2. Tunica media:
middle layer
Made up of either smooth
muscles or elastic fibers
a. External elastic lamina
separates media from
adventitia

G eneralFeatures
3. Tunica adventitia/ tunica
externa: outermost layer
Made up of dense irregular CT
Type I collagen and elastic
fibers
a. Vasa vasorum: vessels of the
vessel
**supplies blood to the vascular walls
too far from the lumen to be
nourished by blood

b. Nervi vascularis: vasomotor

nerves
** unmyelinated sympathetic nerve
fibers (ANS)
*neurotransmitter: norepinephrine
>>discharge of norepinephrine
from these nerves produces
vasoconstriction

1. Large arteries/
large elastic arteries
Help stabilize blood flow
Carries oxygenated blood in it
Usually thickness of large sized arterial
walls is less than lumen diameter
Rich in elastic fibers
Aorta, pulmonary artery, brachiocephalic
trunk, common carotid, subclavian, &
common iliac arteries

2. M U SCU LAR ARTERIES

Include medium-sized and small
diameter arteries.
Their tunica media contains
more smooth muscle and fewer
elastic fibers.
The large amount of smooth
muscle makes the walls of
muscular arteries relatively
thick

3. SMALL ARTERIES
The same structure as the
medium-sized arteries,
EXCEPT that small arteries
have a smaller diameter and
their walls are thinner.
Have only up to 8 layers of
smooth muscle in their walls.
Adapted for vasoconstriction
and vasodilation.

4. ARTERIOLES
Is a very small artery that
delivers blood to capillaries.
The smallest arteries in which the
3 tunics can be identified.
The tunica media consists of only
one or 2 layers of circular smooth
muscle cells.
Play a key role in regulating blood
flow from arteries into capillaries
by regulating resistance.

CAPILLARIES
Are microscopic vessels that connect arterioles to
venules.
Consist of endothelium which is a layer of simple
squamous epithelium surrounded by a delicate
loose connective tissue.
MICROCIRCULATION the flow of blood from
arterioles to venules through capillaries.
Capillaries branch without changing their diameter.

TYPES OF CAPILLARIES
1. CONTINUOUS CAPILLARIES most common type

Have tight, occluding junctions sealing the intercellular clefts between all the endothelial cells to
produce minimal fluid leakage.

Characterized by the distinct continuity of the endothelial cells in its walls.

TYPES OF CAPILLARIES
2. FENESTRATED CAPILLARIES characterized by the presence of
small circular fenestrae through the very thin squamous endothelial
cells.

Found in tissues where rapid interchange of substances occurs

between the tissues and the blood --- kidney, intestine, choroid
plexus and endocrine glands.

TYPES OF CAPILLARIES
3. SINUSOID CAPILLARIES DISCONTINUOUS CAPILLARY

Permits maximal exchange of macromolecules between tissues and blood

Has the following characteristics:

a. Have large fenestrae without diaphragms
b. Cells form discontinuous layer and are separated from one another by wide spaces
c. Basal lamina is discontinuous.

Capillary w ith pericyte

Pericyte:
Rouget Cells
provide vascular
support and
promote stability of
capillaries and
postcapillary
venules through
physical and
chemical signaling
with vascular
endothelial cells

1. continuous capillaries with many tight junctions so

that all exchange must occur through the cells;
2. fenestrated capillaries with small pores or
fenestrations through the cells; and
3. discontinuous capillaries, or sinusoids, with larger
lumens, large spaces between the endothelial cells,
and a discontinuous basal lamina

TYPES OF VEINS
1. Venules

collect blood from

capillaries and drain into
veins.
Composed of endothelium
resting on a delicate
connective tissue layer.
The walls of venules consist
of a tunica interna and a
tunica media that has only a
few scattered smooth
muscle fibers and
fibroblasts.
Venules are further
subclassified as
postcapillary and muscular

 Postcapillary venules collect blood from the

capillary network and are characterized by the
presence of pericytes.
Muscular venules are distinguished from
postcapillary venules by the presence of a tunica
media.

2. SMALL VEINS are slightly larger in

diameter than venules.
All 3 tunics are present in small veins.
The tunica media contains a continuous
layer of smooth muscle cells, and the
connective tissue of the tunica adventitia
surrounds the tunica media.
3. MEDIUM-SIZED VEINS
Collect blood from small veins and deliver it
to large veins.
The 3 distinctive tunics make up the wall of
the medium-sized and large veins.
Tunica media contains some circular smooth
muscle and sparsely scattered elastic fibers.

 Tunica adventitia is the predominant

layer consist of dense collagen fibers
that determines the degree to which
they can be extended.
Have many valves.
4. LARGE VEINS
There are many valves in veins of the
LOWER LIMBS than in veins of upper
limbs, prevents the flow of blood
toward the feet in response to the pull
of gravity.

W allof large vein w ith valve

SMALL VEIN

MEDIUM-SIZED VEIN

ClinicalH istology (arteries)

1. Inflammation of the artery is known as arteritis
2. Atherosclerosis is characterized by the formation of atheromatous
plaque in the tunica intima of larger blood vessels reducing its lumen
size
3. Endothelial lining of an artery is anti-thrombotic in nature. Any breach
or discontinuity in its layer leads to the formation of thrombus which in
turn may lead to myocardial infarction or heart attack
4. An abnormal and permanent dilation of an artery is called aneurysm
and is more common in large sized arteries like aorta
5. Monkeybergs medial sclerosis is a peripheral vascular disease
characterized by the deposition of calcium in the tunica media of
medium sized blood vessel.

ClinicalH istology (veins)

1. Abnormally dilated and tortuous veins are called
varicose veins
Commonly seen in medium and small sized veins of the lower limb
Varicosities of the vein are due to weakening of the valves of the
lower limb

2. Thrombophlebitis is a condition where there is formation

of a thrombus in vein with inflammatory changes