The Cardiovascular System, Blood flow and the Control of Blood Pressure
Pressure produced by the LV is stored by the elastic walls of the arteries and slowly released through elastic recoil. Arteries are the Pressure Reservoir of the circulatory system Arterioles - give downstream variable resistance - Arteriole diameter is controlled by: Local factors: [Oxygen] Hormones Autonomic nervous system Veins are the Volume Reservoir BLOOD VESSELS endothelium - has paracrine function regulates BP, blood vessel growth, and absorption of material Blood vessels contain Vascular Smooth Muscle arranged in circular or spiral layers Muscle tone Calcium Channels Arteries and Arterioles Carry Blood Away from the Heart Some arterioles branch into METARTERIOLES - the walls of which are only partly surrounded by smooth muscle - unlike arterioles PRECAPILLARY SPHINCTERS direct blood from the metarterioles, if Dilated directs blood to the capillaries Constricted directs blood to the venous system Meta...