BRAINCAKEArteries
Arteries carry blood away from the heart. Blood enters them in surges each time the ventricles contract, so the blood is at high pressure and the pressure rises and falls with each heartbeat. Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the pulmonary artery is the exception, carrying deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.
The structure of an artery is adapted to this high, pulsing pressure:
Thick wall. The wall is thick compared with the lumen, so it can withstand high pressure without bursting.
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Key terms in this lesson
- endothelium
- The single layer of thin, flattened cells lining the inside of blood vessels, which is smooth to reduce friction with the flowing blood.
More in Circulatory Systems
- Transport of Carbon Dioxide
- Blood Clotting
- The Blood Clotting Cascade
- Blood Vessels
- Arterioles
- Capillaries
- Veins and venules
- Tissue Fluid
All 33 lessons in Circulatory Systems · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics