In: Anatomy and Physiology
List the differences between arteries, veins and capillaries.
ANSWER :
Veins are blood vessels in the body, that carry deoxygenated from different body organs to left atrium of the heart (except pulmonary vein which carry oxygenated blood from lungs to the heart). All the veins have specific valves inside their lumen, where they function to make unidirectional flow of blood during blood circulation. The veins have comparably thin tunica media (smooth muscle layer) than arteries due to low blood flow in them.
Arteries are specific blood vessels that transport the oxygenated blood from the heart to distant body organs (except pulmonary artery which carry deoxygenated blood from heart to the lungs). All the arteries have comparably thicker tunica media layer due to higher blood flow (systolic) in them.
Capillaries are unique in their structure and function, they have thinnest vascular wall, because of their function to exchange nutrients and respiratory gases across them, and also have lowest blood pressure but high blood flow due to least cross sectional area among all the blood vessels.