Capillary: Difference between revisions
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The capillaries are the smallest [[ | The capillaries are the smallest [[Blood vessels|blood vessels]] in the body, they are one cell thick. These vessels are where the materials in the [[Blood stream|blood stream]] exchange with the [[Interstitial fluid|interstitial fluid]]<ref>Human Physiology, 5th edition, pg 469, Dee Unglaub et al.</ref>. Once the [[Oxygenated|oxygenated]] [[Blood|blood]] leaves the [[Heart|heart]] it is pumped down a series of increasingly smaller vessels until it reaches the capillary network. It is here where [[Oxygen|oxygen]] transfer takes place and also the exchange of other materials. The capillaries are mostly found at the surface of tissues, but are also responsible for the [[Oxygen|oxygen]] supply of [[Organs|organs]], and are therefore found in them. One example is the capillaries that run along the outside of the heart providing it with its oxygen supply<ref>Human Physiology, 5th edition, pg 471</ref>. | ||
As the capillaries are responsible for the exchange of [[Oxygen|oxygen]], [[Carbon dioxide|CO]]<sub>[[Carbon dioxide|2]] </sub>and other materials the capillary walls must be very thin to provide a suitable exchange interface, it is therefore only made up of a single layer of [[Endothelium cells|endothelium cells]] and this allows easy exchange | As the capillaries are responsible for the exchange of [[Oxygen|oxygen]], [[Carbon dioxide|CO]]<sub>[[Carbon dioxide|2]] </sub>and other materials the capillary walls must be very thin to provide a suitable exchange interface, it is therefore only made up of a single layer of [[Endothelium cells|endothelium cells]] and this allows easy exchange<ref>Human Physiology, 5th edition, pg 514, Dee Unglaub et al.</ref>. | ||
=== References | [[Image:Capillary structure.jpg|365x279px|Capillary structure.jpg]][[Image:Capillaries network.jpg|right|382x251px|Capillaries network.jpg]] | ||
=== References === | |||
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Latest revision as of 09:26, 6 December 2017
The capillaries are the smallest blood vessels in the body, they are one cell thick. These vessels are where the materials in the blood stream exchange with the interstitial fluid[1]. Once the oxygenated blood leaves the heart it is pumped down a series of increasingly smaller vessels until it reaches the capillary network. It is here where oxygen transfer takes place and also the exchange of other materials. The capillaries are mostly found at the surface of tissues, but are also responsible for the oxygen supply of organs, and are therefore found in them. One example is the capillaries that run along the outside of the heart providing it with its oxygen supply[2].
As the capillaries are responsible for the exchange of oxygen, CO2 and other materials the capillary walls must be very thin to provide a suitable exchange interface, it is therefore only made up of a single layer of endothelium cells and this allows easy exchange[3].
