HEART AND BLOOD VESSEL
Heart
 thick muscular, rhythmically contracting
portion of the vascular system
 found in the pericardial cavity w/in the
mediastinum
 4 chambers:
- atria (right & left)
- ventricles (right & left)
Layers of the Walls of the Heart
1. Endocardium
2. Myocardium
3. Epicardium
1. Endocardium
- covers the inner surface of the atria and
ventricles
- lined by endothelium (squamous epithelium)
- subendocardium, loose CT beneath the
endothelium (collagenous & elastic fibers, b.v.,
nerves, branches of the impulse conducting
portion of the heart)
- binds the endocardium to the myocardium
2. Myocardium
- main mass of the heart
- consists of cardiac muscle cells arranged end
to end into tracts, run in bundles (designed for
contraction)
- connective tissue w/ vascular network lie bet.
the tracts
3. Epicardium
- visceral layer of the pericardium
- lined by a layer of mesothelial cells
- subepicardium - underneath the mesothelium,
contains elastic fibers, b.v., nerves
- parietal layer of the pericardium
- serous membrane, thin layer of cells which
excrete serous fluid
- contains elastic and collagen fibers, fibroblasts,
macrophages
Pericardial cavity
– space bet. epicardium and parietal
pericardium
- contains serous fluid (pericardial fluid)
- allows movement over one another during
contraction and relaxation of the heart
Purkinje fibers
- modified cardiac muscle fibers that make up
the AV bundle and its branches
- impulse generating and conducting fibers of the
heart
Characteristic of the Purkinje Fibers:
 myofibrils are reduced in number,
found in the periphery
 more sarcoplasm with abundant
glycogen
 nuclei are more rounded (in grps
of 2 or more)
 larger diameter
 lack the T-tubule system
Cardiac Skeleton
 central supporting structure of the
heart
 where most of the muscle fibers are
attached
 where the valves are connected
 composed of dense CT
Main parts of Cardiac Skeleton:
1. Septum membranaceum
- fibrous portion of the interventricular septum
- provides attachment for the free ends of some
of the cardiac muscle fibers.
2. Trigona fibrosa
- a thickened area of tissue between the aortic
ring and the atrioventricular ring.
3. Annuli fibrosa
- fibrous ring
- principal attachment of the muscle fibers of the
atria and ventricles
- attachment of AV valves
Impulse Conducting System of the Heart
 Extends from the SA node up to the
ventricles
 Propagates the cardiac impulse
producing coordinated contraction of the
heart chambers
Consists of:
1. SA node
- called also as sinoatrial node
- a collection of atypical muscle fibers in the wall
of the right atrium where the rhythm of cardiac
contraction is usually established
- also referred to as the pacemaker of the heart
2. AV node
- called also as atrioventricular node
- a collection of cardiac fibers at the base of the
interatrial septum that transmits the cardiac
impulse initiated by the sinoatrial node
3. Bundle of His
- called also atrioventricular bundle
- a band of cardiac muscle fibers connecting the
atria with the ventricles of the heart
- Right and Left branches of the bundle of His
4. Subendocardial network of Purkinje fibers
* Heart is innervated by the ANS (both para and
sympathetic)
 HEART AND BLOOD VESSEL
Blood vessels - thin layer of endothelium, no IEM, T. media is
 Tubular structures that convey blood 1. Large/Big Arteries composed only of isolated smooth muscle layer,
away or towards the heart.  conducting arteries – conduct blood T. adventitia is indistinct
from the heart to all organs
Consist of:  elastic arteries – walls are made of Capillaries
1. Arteries fenestrated elastic membranes  thin-walled tubes (ave. diameter 7-9um)
– brings oxygenated blood to the organs or 3 Layers:  connects the arterial and venous side of
tissues a. T. intima – internal elastic membrane is not the circulation
prominent  branch extensively that form networks in
2. Capillaries b. T. media – thickest coat tissues and organs
– anastomosing channels of small caliber, c. T. adventitia – loose CT, contains collagen  Wall:
thin-walled, allows exchanges of gases and and elastic fibers, b.v., nerves  single layer of endothelial cells
substances resting on basement membrane
2. Medium-sized arteries  thin adventitia
3. Veins - walls are thick, mostly made up of muscle in
– returns deoxygenated blood to the heart the T. media Types of capillaries:
--> MUSCULAR ARTERIES 1. Continuous capillary
Layers of blood vessels: distribute blood to different organs - endothelium forms a thin uninterrupted
--> DISTRIBUTING ARTERIES layer around the circumference of the
1. Tunica intima Layers: capillary
- innermost layer a. T. intima – flattened endothelial cells, internal - have a close connection between
- single layer of endothelial cells elastic membrane is very prominent, marks adjacent cells and will permit only small
- subendothelium – consists of loose CT the boundary bet. T. intima and T. media molecules < 10nm in diameter to cross.
- internal elastic membrane (lamina) is a b. T. media – almost entirely made up of smooth - found in muscle, skin lungs, adipose
fenestrated elastic sheet, boundary bet. T. intima muscles arranged concentrically tissue CNS, retina and mammary glands.
and T. media c. T. adventitia – loose CT, vasa vasorum is
present 2. Fenestrated capillary
2. Tunica media A. With diaphragm
- middle layer 3. Small arteries  endothelium has pores 80-100um in
- circumferentially-arranged smooth muscle cells - similar to medium-sized arteries but the internal diameter closed by a very thin porous
- proteoglycans, elastic and collagen fibers elastic membrane is not prominent. Ave. diaphragm
found in between of muscles diameter is 300um  found in pancreas, GIT, choroid plexus,
- in larger vessels, an external elastic lamina and ciliary body of the eye
separates the T. media and T. adventitia 4. Arterioles B. Without diaphragm
- ave. diameter 100um, has all 3 layers  pores are not closed or covered by a
3. Tunica adventitia - IEM is not prominent diaphragm
- outermost layer - T. media is composed of a single layer of  renal glomeruli
- loose CT smooth muscle C. Fenestrated sinusoidal capillary
- contains collagen and elastic fibers, blood  lumen has wider diameter
vessels (vasa vasorum) and nerves (nervi 5. Precapillary (metarterioles)  larger fenestrae, lacks diaphragm
vasorum) - ave. diameter 50um  basement membrane is not prominent
- transition from capillary --> arteriole  found in endocrine glands, carotid and
Types of arteries:
aortic bodies
 Has all 3 coats
 Thickest coat is tunica media

3. Discontinuous capillary (sinusoid)
- Between the endothelial cells are large
gaps, which permit a direct continuity of
access of blood plasma from the lumen to
the extracellular space.
- absence of a continuous lining of
endothelial cells and basal lamina, tortuous,
wider
- located in the liver, spleen, hypophysis
cerebri, and bone marrow, RET, vascular
endothelium.
Sinuses
 endothelial cells are elongated along the
longitudinal axis
 surrounded by reticular fibers
 specialized vessels characteristic of the
spleen
Veins
 thin-walled vessels
 carry blood from the capillaries to the
heart
 caliber increases and walls become
thicker as they approach the heart
 thickest coat is tunica adventitia
 diameter is wider than the thickness of
the wall
 may possess valves
 IEM is absent except in large veins
 vasa vasorum is present and may
extend up to the T. intima
3 coats:
1. Tunica intima
– thin endothelium supported by a thin
subendothelium
2. Tunica media
- very thin, sparse circular smooth muscle, less
rigid
3. Tunica adventitia
- thickest coat, made up of loose CT, contains
vasa vasorum and nervi vasorum
HEART AND BLOOD VESSEL
Venule Lymphatic Vessels
 T. intima composed of single layer of  Lymphatics are found in all tissues
flattened endothelial cells except the CNS, cartilage, bone and bone
 T. media is indistinct, incomplete layer of marrow, thymus, teeth, and placenta.
smooth muscle  large, thin-walled vessels
 T. adventitia is the only prominent coat  start as blind-ended lymphatic capillaries
loose CT with collagen and elastic fibers which coalesce to form lymphatic vessels
and finally empty into the circulation via the
Small vein lymphatic ducts (thoracic and right
 Tunica intima – made up of lining lymphatic)
endothelial cells, a thin subendothelium may
or may not be present
 Tunica media – small bundles of smooth sandel loves anish <3
muscles
 Tunica adventitia – thick layer of loose
CT
Medium-sized vein
- include most of the veins of the body
 T. intima – consist of flattened
endothelium and subendothelium
 T. media – consists of circularly
arranged smooth muscle fibers w/ collagen
and elastic fibers
 T. adventitia – well-developed, bulk of
the wall, contains collagen and elastic fibers
Large vein
 T. intima - endothelium lined by
polygonal cells
- IEM may be present but not prominent
 T. media - poorly developed
- thin layer of smooth muscles w/ few
elastic fibers
 T. adventitia - greater part
- loose CT w/ collagen and elastic fibers
* SVC, IVC, IJV, innominate v., portal v., splenic
v., sup. mesenteric v., external iliac v., renal v.,
azygos v.
 HEART AND BLOOD VESSEL

ARTERY, VEIN, NERVE VASA VASORUM