In: Anatomy and Physiology
Consider microcirculation and the selective deployment
of blood to capillary beds. What about the anatomy of
microcirculation makes this possible? How is this used to respond
to external stresses (like temperature) and internal metabolic
demands?
Microcirculation deals with the microvessels through which the the blood pasess, they are arterioles, cappilaries etc. The blood flowing through the capillary bed is not constant like all other blood vessels. There also occurs selective control of blood flow to the areas where they are necessary. They are done by the help of the precapillary sphincter. They are ring like arrangements of the smooth muscle seen in the capillaries which help in this control. They have the ability to contract and control the blood flow to the selected when necessary. The micro circulation in the skin else known as cutaneous microcirculation is used to exchange the water and the minerals to protect against the external stress like temperature. During internal metabolic demands this specific function of the microcirculation makes it expand and increase the blood flow to the necessary area so as to increase the nutrient flow too these regions.