elastic arteries

(noun)

An artery with a large number of collagen and elastin filaments, giving it the ability to stretch in response to each pulse.

Related Terms

Examples of elastic arteries in the following topics:

  • Muscular Arteries

    • Distributing arteries are medium-sized arteries that draw blood from an elastic artery and branch into resistance vessels.
    • Muscular or distributing arteries are medium-sized arteries that draw blood from an elastic artery and branch into resistance vessels, including small arteries and arterioles.
    • In contrast to the mechanism elastic arteries use to store and dissipate energy generated by the heart's contraction, muscular arteries contain layers of smooth muscle providing allowing for involuntary control of vessel caliber and thus control of blood flow.
    • Muscular arteries can be identified by the well-defined elastic lamina that lies between the tunicae intima and media.
    • The splenic artery (lienal artery), the blood vessel that supplies oxygenated blood to the spleen, is an example of a muscular artery.

  • Elastic Arteries

    • An elastic or conducting artery has a large number of collagen and elastin filaments in the tunica media.
    • The pulmonary arteries, the aorta, and its branches together comprise the body's system of elastic arteries.
    • Due to position as the first part of the systemic circulatory system closest to the heart and the resultant high pressures it will experience, the aorta is perhaps the most elastic artery, featuring an incredibly thick tunica media rich in elastic filaments.
    • In elastic arteries, the tunica media is rich with elastic and connective tissue.
    • The aorta makes up most of the elastic arteries in the body.

  • Artery Function

    • Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart under pressure.
    • In arteries, the tunica media, which contains smooth muscle cells and elastic tissue, is thicker than that of veins so it can modulate vessel caliber and thus control and maintain blood pressure.
    • Arteries of the systemic circulation can be subdivided into muscular or elastic types according to the the relative compositions of elastic and muscle tissue in their tunica media.
    • Larger arteries are typically elastic and smaller arteries are more likely to be muscular.
    • Distinguish the function of the arterial system from that of venous system

  • The Aorta and Its Branches

    • The aorta is the largest artery in the systemic circulatory system.
    • The aorta is an elastic artery, meaning it is able to distend.
    • The ascending aorta has two small branches—the left and right coronary arteries.
    • The arch of the aorta has 3 branches: the brachiocephalic artery, which itself divides into right common carotid artery and the right subclavian artery, the left common carotid artery, and the left subclavian artery.
    • These arteries provide blood to both arms and the head.

  • Great Vessels of the Heart

    • The aorta is the largest of the arteries in systemic circulation.
    • The aorta is a highly elastic artery and is able to dilate and constrict in response to blood pressure and volume.
    • The arch of aorta is the peak of the aorta, which breaks off into the left carotid artery, brachiocephalic trunk, and the left subclavian artery.
    • The abdominal aorta is the part of the descending aorta below the diaphragm, which divides into the iliac arteries and branches into the renal and suprarenal arteries.
    • These are the only arteries that carry deoxygenated blood, and are considered arteries because they carry blood away from the heart.

  • Blood Vessel Structure

    • This layer is much thicker in arteries than in veins.
    • Fiber composition also differs; veins contain fewer elastic fibers and function to control caliber of the arteries, a key step in maintaining blood pressure.
    • A major structural difference between arteries and veins is the presence of valves.
    • In arteries, the blood is pumped under pressure from the heart, so backflow cannot occur.
    • This diagram of the artery wall indicates the smooth muscle, external elastic membrane, endothelium, internal elastic membrane, tunica externa, tunica media, and tunica intima.

  • Structural Elements of Connective Tissue

    • Elastic fibers (or yellow fibers) are bundles of proteins (elastin) found in extracellular matrix of connective tissue and produced by fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells in arteries.
    • Elastic tissue is classified as "connective tissue proper. " The elastic fiber is formed from the elastic microfibril and amorphous elastin.
    • Elastic fibers are found in the skin, lungs, arteries, veins, connective tissue proper, elastic cartilage, periodontal ligament, fetal tissue, and other structures.

  • Arterial Blood Pressure

    • The tunica media of arteries is thickened compared to veins featuring more smooth muscle fibers and elastic tissue.
    • Together, these allow for the generation of elastic recoil and contraction of the blood vessel allowing for the maintenance of a higher pressure.
    • While average values for arterial pressure could be computed for any given population, there is often a large variation from person to person; arterial pressure also varies in individuals from moment to moment .
    • All levels of arterial pressure put mechanical stress on the arterial walls.
    • Even moderate elevation of arterial pressure leads to shortened life expectancy.

  • Coronary Artery Disease

    • Coronary artery disease (CAD) describes the accumulation of atheromatous or fatty plaques within the walls of the coronary arteries.
    • Coronary artery disease (CAD; also atherosclerotic heart disease) is the result of the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the coronary arteries that supply the myocardium (the muscle of the heart) with oxygen and nutrients.
    • While the symptoms and signs of coronary artery disease are noted in the advanced state of disease, most individuals with coronary artery disease show no evidence of disease for decades as the disease progresses before the first onset of symptoms, often a sudden heart attack, finally arises.
    • Image showing right coronary artery (RCA), left coronary artery (LCA) and a infarct (1) with necrotic or dead myocardium (2).
    • Characteristics of atherosclerosis shown here include thickening of the tunica intima, fragmentation of the internal elastic lamina (a very thin black wavy layer) between the intima and media, partial duplication of the internal elastic lamina, smooth muscle infiltration of the intima (from the media, red staining of the intima), and luminal narrowing.

  • Arteries, Veins, and Capillaries

    • Arteries take blood away from the heart.
    • The main artery is the aorta that branches into other major arteries, which take blood to different limbs and organs.
    • These major arteries include the carotid artery, which takes blood to the brain; the brachial arteries, which take blood to the arms; and the thoracic artery, which takes blood to the thorax and then into the hepatic, renal, and gastric arteries for the liver, kidneys, and stomach, respectively.
    • Veins and arteries both have two further tunics that surround the endothelium: the middle, tunica media is composed of smooth muscle, while the outer tunica externa is connective tissue (collagen and elastic fibers).
    • The elastic, connective tissue stretches and supports the blood vessels, while the smooth muscle layer helps regulate blood flow by altering vascular resistance through vasoconstriction and vasodilation.