In: Anatomy and Physiology
Why is an elastic aorta important for the velocity in capillaries ?
The arteries close to the heart are more elastic as compared to those away from the heart. The basic reason for such development is the more amount of blood they incorporate and the constant pressure embedded on them due to continuous contraction and changing intensity of contraction of the heart. This imposes a risk of damage of the arteries close by. They are large in size and have more elastic tissue component. The basic function of this elastic tissue component is to maintain a constant pressure within the aorta despite of changing pressure in the heart. This elastic tissue allows the aorta to incorporate blood accordingly and helps in better distribution. The lower the pressure they maintain, lower is the velocity in the capillaries associated ahead. The higher the pressure, higher is the velocity. This impacts the perfusion and exchange across capillaries and the amount of blood flowing per unit area over a specified time. This accounts for better tissue functioning and thereby maintaining both the pressure and velocity of the flowing blood.