What is the function of Metarteriole?

Pericytes not only appear in capillaries, but also in pre-capillary metarterioles and post-capillary venules. They are modulators of blood vessel development, maturation and remodeling, and are especially abundant in the microvessels of the central nervous system.

Where are Metarterioles found?

Metarterioles exist in the mesenteric microcirculation, and the name was originally conceived only to define the “thoroughfare channels ” between arterioles and venules. In recent times the term has often been used instead to describe the smallest arterioles directly prior to the capillaries.

What is capillary function?

Capillaries, the smallest and most numerous of the blood vessels, form the connection between the vessels that carry blood away from the heart (arteries) and the vessels that return blood to the heart (veins). The primary function of capillaries is the exchange of materials between the blood and tissue cells.

What is the joining of a Metarteriole and a thoroughfare channel called?

Precapillary sphincters located at the junction of a metarteriole with a capillary regulate blood flow. A thoroughfare channel connects the metarteriole to a venule. An arteriovenous anastomosis, which directly connects the arteriole with the venule, is shown at the bottom.

What is the main function of pulmonary artery?

The pulmonary arteries carry blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. In medical terms, the word “pulmonary” means something that affects the lungs. The blood carries oxygen and other nutrients to your cells.

What are the two types of capillaries?

Are there different types of capillaries?

• Continuous capillaries. These are the most common types of capillaries.
• Fenestrated capillaries. Fenestrated capillaries are “leakier” than continuous capillaries.
• Sinusoid capillaries. These are the rarest and “leakiest” type of capillary.

What do Sinusoids do?

Sinusoid, irregular tubular space for the passage of blood, taking the place of capillaries and venules in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. The walls of the sinusoids are lined with phagocytic cells, called Kupffer cells, that digest old red blood cells and clear the bloodstream of toxins.

What are the 3 types of capillaries?

There are three types of capillary:

• continuous.
• fenestrated.
• discontinuous.

What are the blood components?

Whole Blood. Whole blood contains red cells, white cells, and platelets (~45% of volume) suspended in blood plasma (~55% of volume).

What is the function of right and left pulmonary artery?

Structure and Function The right pulmonary artery supplies the right lung while the left pulmonary artery supplies the left lung.

What is the function of vena cava?

A large vein that carries blood to the heart from other areas of the body. The vena cava has two parts: the superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava. The superior vena cava carries blood from the head, neck, arms, and chest.

What are three different types of capillaries?

There are three primary types of capillaries—continuous, fenestrated, and discontinuous or sinusoidal that are found in different regions of the body, and specialized capillaries in the brain make up the blood-brain barrier.

What are the functions of the liver in the body?

The liver processes this blood and breaks down, balances, and creates the nutrients and also metabolizes drugs into forms that are easier to use for the rest of the body or that are nontoxic. More than 500 vital functions have been identified with the liver.

How does the liver help maintain blood glucose levels?

Carbohydrate Metabolism The liver plays a central role in maintaining blood glucose levels. Following consumption of food, excess glucose can be stored within the liver as glycogen. This is stimulated by insulin release.

Which is part of the liver carries oxygenated blood?

Glisson’s Capsule: A layer of loose connective tissue that surrounds the liver and its related arteries and ducts. Hepatic Artery: The main blood vessel that supplies the liver with oxygenated blood. Hepatic Portal Vein: The blood vessel that carries blood from the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen to the liver.

What are the metabolic functions of the hepatocytes?

Hepatocytes are metabolic overachievers in the body. They play critical roles in synthesizing molecules that are utilized elsewhere to support homeostasis, in converting molecules of one type to another, and in regulating energy balances.