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Information about Arterial



Arteries are muscular blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart.[1] All arteries, with the exception of the pulmonary and umbilical arteries, carry oxygenated blood.

The circulatory system is extremely important for sustaining life. Its proper functioning is responsible for the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to all cells, as well as the removal of carbon dioxide and waste products, maintenance of optimum pH, and the mobility of the elements, proteins and cells of the immune system. In developed countries, the two leading causes of death, myocardial infarction and stroke each may directly result from an arterial system that has been slowly and progressively compromised by years of deterioration. (See atherosclerosis).

Description

The arterial system is the higher-pressure portion of the circulatory system. Arterial pressure varies between the peak pressure during heart contraction, called the systolic pressure, and the minimum, or diastolic pressure between contractions, when the heart rests between cycles. This pressure variation within the artery produces the pulse which is observable in any artery, and reflects heart activity.

Anatomy

The anatomy of arteries can be separeted into gross anatomy, at the macroscopic level, and microscopic anatomy, which must be studied with the aid of a microscope.

Gross anatomy

See also: Arterial tree
The arterial system to of the human body is divided into systemic arteries, carrying blood from the heart to the whole body pulmonary arteries, carrying blood from the heart to the lungs, and .

Systemic arteries

See also: Arterial tree
Systemic arteries are the arteries of the systemic circulation, which is the portion of the cardiovascular system which carries oxygenated blood away from the heart, to the body, and returns deoxygenated blood back to the heart.

Pulmonary arteries

Pulmonary arteries are the arteries of the pulmonary circulation, which is the portion of the cardiovascular system which carries deoxygenated blood away from the heart, to the lungs, and returns oxygenated blood back to the heart.

Microanatomy

Enlarge picture
Anatomy of the arterial wall
The outermost layer is known as the tunica externa formerly known as "tunica adventitia" and is composed of connective tissue. Inside this layer is the tunica media, or media, which is made up of smooth muscle cells and elastic tissue. The innermost layer, which is in direct contact with the flow of blood is the tunica intima, commonly called the intima. This layer is made up of mainly endothelial cells. The hollow internal cavity in which the blood flows is called the lumen.

Types of arteries

There are several types of arteries in the body:

Pulmonary arteries

The pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood that has just returned from the body to the lungs, where carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen.

Systemic arteries

Systemic arteries deliver blood to the arterioles, and then to the capillaries, where nutrients and gasses are exchanged.

The Aorta

The aorta is the root systemic artery. It receives blood directly from the left ventricle of the heart via the aortic valve. As the aorta branches, and these arteries branch in turn, they become successively smaller in diameter, down to the arteriole. The arterioles supply capillaries which in turn empty into venules.

Arterioles

Arterioles, the smallest of the true arteries, help regulate blood pressure by the variable contraction of the smooth muscle of their walls, and deliver blood to the capillaries.

Arterioles and blood pressure

Arterioles have the greatest collective influence on both local blood flow and on overall blood pressure. They are the primary "adjustable nozzles" in the blood system, across which the greatest pressure drop occurs. The combination of heart output (cardiac output) and systemic vascular resistance, which refers to the collective resistance of all of the body's arterioles, are the principal determinants of arterial blood pressure at any given moment.

Capillaries

The capillaries are where all of the important exchanges happen in the circulatory system. The capillaries are a single cell thick to aid fast and easy diffusion of gases, sugars and other nutrients to surrounding tissues.
Functions of capillaries
To withstand and adapt to the pressures within, arteries are surrounded by varying thicknesses of smooth muscle which have extensive elastic and inelastic connective tissues.

The pulse pressure, i.e. Systolic vs. Diastolic difference, is determined primarily by the amount of blood ejected by each heart beat, stroke volume, versus the volume and elasticity of the major arteries.

Over time, elevated arterial blood sugar (see Diabetes Mellitus), lipoprotein cholesterol, and pressure, smoking, and other factors are all involved in damaging both the endothelium and walls of the arteries, resulting in atherosclerosis or Diabetes Mellitus.

History

Among the ancient Greeks, the arteries were considered to be "air holders" that were responsible for the transport of air to the tissues and were connected to the trachea. This theory presumably arose from the fact that the arteries are empty after death: the last beat of the heart pushes the blood through the capillaries and into the veins.

In medieval times, it was recognized that arteries carried a fluid, called "spiritual blood" or "vital spirits", considered to be different from the contents of the veins. This theory went back to Galen. In the late medieval period, the trachea,[2] and ligaments were also called "arteries".[3]

William Harvey described and popularized the modern concept of the circulatory system and the roles of arteries and veins in the 17th century.

Alexis Carrel at the beginning of 20th century first described the technique for vascular suturing and anastomosis and successfully performed many organ transplantations in animals; he thus actually opened the way to modern vascular surgery that was before limited to vessels permanent ligatation.

References

1. ^ Medical dictionary definition of artery from KMLE Medical Dictionary retrieved on 07-04-17
2. ^ Oxford English Dictionary.
3. ^ Shakespeare, William. Hamlet Complete, Authoritative Text with Biographical and Historical Contexts, Critical History, and Essays from Five Contemporary Critical Perspectives. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martins Press, 1994. pg. 50.

See also

 •  • [ e]
Cardiovascular system
Blood  |  Heart → Aorta → Arteries → Arterioles → Capillaries → Venules → Veins → Vena cava → Heart → Pulmonary arteries → Lungs → Pulmonary vein
 •  • [ e]
Arteries of head and neck
CC, EC: Anteriorsuperior thyroid (superior laryngeal) - lingual (sublingual)
facial: cervical branches (ascending palatine - tonsillar - submental - glandular) - facial branches (inferior labial - superior labial - lateral nasal - angular)
EC: Posterior and ascendingoccipital - posterior auricular (stylomastoid) - ascending pharyngeal (meningeal branches)
EC: Terminal, superficial temporaltransverse facial - middle temporal (zygomaticorbital) - anterior auricular - frontal - parietal
EC: Terminal, maxillary1st part: anterior tympanic - deep auricular - middle meningeal (superior tympanic) - accessory meningeal - inferior alveolar (mylohyoid)
2nd part: deep temporal - pterygoid branches - masseteric - buccal
3rd part: posterior superior alveolar - infraorbital (anterior superior alveolar) - descending palatine - artery of the pterygoid canal - sphenopalatine
CC, IC: portions #1 and 2cervical portion - petrous portion (Vidian, caroticotympanic)
IC: cavernous portion/ophthalmicorbital group: lacrimal - supraorbital - posterior ethmoidal - anterior ethmoidal - medial palpebral - supratrochlear - dorsal nasal
ocular group: central retinal - ciliary (short posterior, long posterior, anterior) - superior hypophysial - inferior hypophyseal
IC: cerebral portionACA - anterior communicating - MCA (anterolateral central) - posterior communicating - anterior choroidal - circle of Willis
SUBCLAVIAN: vertebralmeningeal branches - posterior spinal - anterior spinal - PICA - basilar (pontine - labyrinthine - AICA - SCA - PCA)
SUBCLAVIAN: thyrocervicalinferior thyroid (inferior laryngeal, tracheal, esophageal, ascending cervical) - suprascapular - transverse cervical - dorsal scapular
 •  • [ e]
Arteries of upper limbs
Axillaryscapular anastomosis - 1st part superior thoracic - 2nd part thoracoacromial - lateral thoracic - 3rd part subscapular (circumflex scapular, thoracodorsal) - anterior humeral circumflex - posterior humeral circumflex
Brachialprofunda brachii (radial collateral, medial collateral) - superior ulnar collateral - inferior ulnar collateral
Radialforearm: radial recurrent - palmar carpal branch - superficial palmar branch
wrist: dorsal carpal branch (dorsal carpal arch, dorsal metacarpal, dorsal digital)
hand: princeps pollicis - radial of index finger - deep palmar arch (palmar metacarpal)
Ulnarforearm: anterior ulnar recurrent - posterior ulnar recurrent - common interosseous (anterior, posterior, recurrent)
wrist: palmar carpal branch - dorsal carpal branch
hand: superficial palmar arch (common palmar digital, proper palmar digital) - deep palmar branch - palmar carpal arch
 •  • [ e]
Arteries of torso - chest
Pulmonary/
coronary		right coronary (sinuatrial nodal, atrioventricular nodal, atrial, right marginal, posterior interventricular) - left coronary (anterior interventricular, left circumflex, left marginal)
Ascending aortaaortic arch - brachiocephalic (thyreoidea ima) - common carotid
Subclavianinternal thoracic: anterior intercostal - pericardiacophrenic - terminal (musculophrenic, superior epigastric)
costocervical trunk: highest intercostal, deep cervical
Descending /
thoracic aorta		bronchial - esophageal - posterior intercostal - subcostal
 •  • [ e]
Arteries of lower limbs
EI: Femoralsuperficial epigastric - superficial iliac circumflex - superficial external pudendal - deep external pudendal - profunda femoris (lateral circumflex femoral - medial circumflex femoral - perforating) - descending genicular
Poplitealanterior tibial - sural - superior genicular (medial, lateral) - middle genicular - inferior genicular (medial, lateral)
Anterior Tibialdorsalis pedis - posterior tibial recurrent - anterior tibial recurrent - anterior medial malleolar - anterior lateral malleolar
Dorsalis Pedislateral tarsal - medial tarsal - arcuate - dorsal metatarsal - first dorsal metatarsal - deep plantar
Posterior Tibialcircumflex fibular - fibular - medial plantar - lateral plantar - plantar arch - plantar metatarsal
MUSCLE (multiple sequence comparison by log-expectation) is public domain, multiple sequence alignment software for protein and nucleotide sequences.
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The blood vessels are part of the cardiovascular system and function to transport blood throughout the body. The most important types, arteries and veins, carry blood away from or towards the heart, respectively.
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Blood is a specialized biological fluid consisting of red blood cells (also called RBCs or erythrocytes), white blood cells (also called leukocytes) and platelets (also called thrombocytes) suspended in a complex fluid medium known as blood plasma.
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heart is a muscular organ responsible for pumping blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions, or a similar structure in the annelids, mollusks, and arthropods.
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Circulatory System is a psychedelic rock musical ensemble formed by musician/painter Will Cullen Hart, and featuring Hannah Jones, Derek Almstead, Peter Erchick, John Fernandes, and Heather McIntosh.
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Life (Biota)

Domains and Kingdoms
  • Life on Earth (Gaeabionta)
  • Nanobes

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2, −1
(neutral oxide)
Electronegativity 3.44 (Pauling scale)
Ionization energies
(more) 1st: 1313.9 kJmol−1
2nd: 3388.3 kJmol−1
3rd: 5300.5 kJmol−1

Atomic radius 60 pm
Atomic radius (calc.
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macronutrients and those needed in relatively small quantities are called micronutrients.

See healthy diet for information on the role of nutrients in human nutrition.

Types of human nutrients

Macronutrients are defined in several different ways.
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Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure and exists in Earth's atmosphere in this state.
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    pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Aqueous solutions at 25 ℃ with a pH less than seven are considered acidic, while those with a pH greater than seven are considered basic (alkaline). The pH of 7.
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    immune system is a collection of mechanisms within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own healthy
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    developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries with developed economies in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors of industry dominate.
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    Death is the permanent end of the life of a biological organism. Death may refer to the end of life as either an event or condition.[1] Many factors can cause or contribute to an organism's death, including predation, disease, habitat destruction, senescence,
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    Myocardial infarction
    Classification & external resources

    Diagram of a myocardial infarction (2) of the tip of the anterior wall of the heart (an apical infarct
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    Stroke
    Classification & external resources

    ICD-10 I 61. -I 64.
    ICD-9 435 - 436

    OMIM 601367
    DiseasesDB 2247
    MedlinePlus 000726pi
    eMedicine neuro/9   emerg/558 emerg/557 pmr/187
    MeSH D020521

    Stroke (or
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    Atherosclerosis
    Classification & external resources

    Changes in endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerosis (note text comments about geometry error)
    ICD-10 I 70.
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    Blood pressure (strictly speaking: vascular pressure) refers to the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels, and constitutes one of the principal vital signs.
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    Systole can mean the following:
    • Systole (medicine) is a term describing the contraction of the heart.
    • Systole (mathematics) is a term used in mathematics.
    • Systole (literature) is a term used to describe entry into the imagination/surreal in a text.

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    Diastole is the period of time when the heart relaxes after contraction. Ventricular diastole is the period during which the ventricles are relaxing, while atrial diastole is the period during which the atria are relaxing.
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    Gross anatomy is the study of anatomy at the macroscopic level. The term gross distinguishes it from other areas of anatomical study, including microscopic anatomy, which must be studied with the aid of a microscope.
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    Histology (from the Greek ἱστός) is the study of tissue sectioned as a thin slice, using a microtome. It can be described as microscopic anatomy.
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    In anatomy, arterial tree is used to refer to all arteries and/or the branching pattern of the arteries. This article regards the human arterial tree. Starting from the aorta:

    Ascending aorta

    (Branches to right coronary artery and left coronary artery.
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    The human body is the entire physical structure of a human organism. The human body consists of a head, neck, torso, two arms and two legs. The average height of an adult human is about 1.6 m (5 to 6 feet) tall. This size is largely determined by genes.
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    The pulmonary arteries carry blood from the heart to the lungs. They are the only arteries (other than umbilical arteries in the fetus) that carry deoxygenated blood.

    In the human heart, the pulmonary trunk (pulmonary artery or main pulmonary artery
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    heart is a muscular organ responsible for pumping blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions, or a similar structure in the annelids, mollusks, and arthropods.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    lungs flank the heart and great vessels in the chest cavity.[1]]]

    The lung is the essential respiration organ in air-breathing vertebrates, the most primitive being the lungfish.
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    Systemic circulation is the portion of the cardiovascular system which carries oxygenated blood away from the heart, to the body, and returns deoxygenated blood back to the heart. The term is contrasted with pulmonary circulation.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    In anatomy, arterial tree is used to refer to all arteries and/or the branching pattern of the arteries. This article regards the human arterial tree. Starting from the aorta:

    Ascending aorta

    (Branches to right coronary artery and left coronary artery.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    Systemic circulation is the portion of the cardiovascular system which carries oxygenated blood away from the heart, to the body, and returns deoxygenated blood back to the heart. The term is contrasted with pulmonary circulation.
    ..... Click the link for more information.


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