CVS3 Histo Dr. Lina

Title: Cardiovascular system (III)
Grade: One
Systemic Module/ Cardiovascular system (Histology).
Speaker: Dr. Lina Ali
Date: 17/3/2024
Objectives
By the end of this lecture, the medical student will be able to:
✓ Recognize the microstructure, organization and types of

capillaries, veins practically (By light microscope).
✓ Differentiate between these blood vessels.
✓ Compare between lymph vessel (L)& venule(V) under

light microscope.
Capillaries
➢ Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels that
conduct blood from arterioles to the post-
capillary venules.
➢ Total length of human capillary
around 9600 km.
➢ Diameter around (7-9) μm. as a diameter of a

single RBC .
➢ Forming around 90% of the body vasculature

by forming capillary network.
➢ capillary network (cap. bed) that varies in size
& shape.
Capillaries
Capillary networks
➢ Large mesh of cap. network
as in the lung , liver , kidneys ,
glands , mucous membranes ,
skeletal muscles& gray matter of
brain.
➢ Spares cap. Network as in the

tendon, nerve, smooth muscles,
serous membranes .
Lung cap.
Structure of capillary
Light microscope (L.M.):-
Transverse section (T.S.) of capillary contains (1-2) endothelial
cells, whose nuclei bulge into the cap. Lumen.
Slide shows Artery, Vein & capillary under L.M.

Electron microscope (E.M.)
1-endothelium-cytoplasm is thick opposite nucleus

& thin elsewhere.
2-organelles usually lie in the perinuclear area

included: small Golgi complex, few mitochondria
,free ribosomes ,RER & filaments in which they may
be related to the contractility of endothelium.
3-Basal lamina- around endothelial cells which is

splitted to enclose pericytes.
4-Thin sheath of delicate collagen & elastic fibers.
5-pericytes.
Pericytes
➢ Pericytes are fibroblast-like cells with

extensive cytoplasmic processes that wrap
around endothelial cells in arterioles,
capillaries, and venules.
➢ Slender, elongated, highly branched cells,
whose cytoplasm contain filaments (myosin,
actin and tropomyosin).
➢ They are embedded within the basement
membrane of the endothelium but contact
the endothelial cells through holes in the
basement membrane.
The pericytes
Functions:
➢ Support of capillaries & post capillary
venules.
➢ Contractile function : through actin

filaments in their cytoplasm for reducing
the size of the capillary lumen.
➢ Stem cells : pericytes can proliferate and

differentiate to form new endothelial and
smooth muscle cells following tissue
injury, thus participating in tissue repair
process.
Classification of capillaries
At the level of the electron microscope,

three different types of capillaries can be
resolved based on the morphology of their
endothelial layer:-
1- Continuous cap.
2- Fenestrated cap.
3- Sinusoidal or discontinuous cap.

Continuous (type I) capillary
➢ Muscular type according to first discovering

location within the muscle tissue.
➢ Most common type.
➢ Locations: muscle tissue, lung, CNS, skin,
connective tissue, exocrine glands.
➢ The endothelial cells are held together
By occluding (tight) junctions with overlapping
marginal folds.
➢ Basal lamina is continuous.
➢ The endothelial cytoplasm contains many of
small vesicles (pinocytotic vesicles) of (50-
70) nm. in diameter.
Continuous (type I) capillary
➢ Functionally, it appears that they are
involved in metabolic exchange
( transporting of fluid & macromolecules
across the capillary wall) and thus share in
the formation of different blood barriers.
➢ Few or no pinocytotic vesicles are

encountered in continuous capillaries of
nervous system.
Fenestrated (type ІІ) capillary
➢ Locations:- intestinal mucosa (absorption)

,endocrine glands (secretion),renal
Glomerulus& pancreas.
➢ peripheral cytoplasm of endothelium is

perforated at intervals by “pores” which are
ranging (30-50) nm.
➢ These pores are closed by thin diaphragm,

except in cap. of renal glomeruli.(pores have
no diaphragm).
➢ Basal lamina is continuous.
Discontinuous (sinusoidal , type III) capillaries
➢ The capillary lumen is greater than other

types of capillaries (30-40) μm. in diameter.
➢ Irregular outline & the wall is composed of
discontinuous layer of endothelial cells .
➢ Cytoplasm of endothelial cells shows
multiple fenestration without diaphragms &
are separated by wide intercellular gaps
➢ Locations: liver, spleen and bone
marrow .
➢ Macrophages are closely associated
with the endothelial cells as within
& around the sinusoidal wall.
➢ Basal lamina is incomplete &
support by reticular fibers.
Figure shows sinusoidal cap. in the liver surrounding by
Kupffer cells as macrophages (special stain).
Classification of veins
✓ Types
1.Venules
2. Small to medium size veins.
3. Large size veins.
✓ Venous system with thin wall

(TM) & wide lumen Low
pressure.
✓ Venous system= Drainage system

✓ No IEL & EEL
✓ Venules can be classified into :
post-capillary venules & muscular venules
1-Venous capillary (post-cap. venule)
➢ Diameter 15-30μm.
➢ Wall consists of:
1-Endothelium= simple squamous
epithelium resting on basal lamina.
2-Thin connective tissue coat contains
pericytes (slender, elongated, highly
branched cells found in capillaries &
postcapillary venules surrounding
endothelium).
➢ Pericytes numbers are greater in post
capillary venules than that in capillaries.
2- Muscular venules:
➢ Wall is thin
➢ Large collapsed lumen.
➢ Layers:
✓ Tunica intima: endothelium
with basal lamina .
✓ Tunica media: 1-2 layers of
smooth muscle fibers.
✓ Tunica adventitia: thick and
composed of connective tissue
rich in collagen fibers.
Arterioles, venules and capillaries
within adipose tissue(200X)
Histological features of
Small & medium size veins
Wall layers:
➢ Tunica intima: endothelium & thin layer of
subendothelium with internal folds called
(valves).
➢ Tunica media(30%): Few circularly arranged
smooth muscle fibers embedded in CT having
predominantly collagen fibers, less elastic
fibers with no elastic lamina.
✓ T.M. is best developed in veins of lower limb.

➢ Tunica adventitia(70%):
thickest layer with fibroelastic
connective tissue with nerve
fibers in content and vasa
vasorum are numerous.
Medium size vein(H.P.)……30%TM & 70%TA

Histological features of Large vein
➢ Location: SVC and IVC & their main tributaries.
➢ Layers:
I. Tunica intima (TI): thin well developed endothelium and
subendothelial CT (same as medium sized v. or may be
thicker)
II. Tunica media (TM)(30%): poorly developed layer consist of

smooth muscle & collagen fibers .
III. Tunica adventitia (TA)(70%): well developed, thickest coat,

many longitudinal bundles of smooth muscle fibers are
embedded in C T.
Large V.
Histological features of Large vein
✓ Longitudinal bundles of SMF in TA

to:
▪ Strengthen the weak wall .
▪ Prevent overdistension of blood
vessels.
▪ Both longitudinal SMF (TA) with
transverse SMF (TM) arrangements
provide peristaltic pumping of the
blood to the heart as facilitate
shortening and elongation of the
vena cava with respiration.
✓ Vasa vasorum: numerous. Large vein H.P.

30% TM
70% TA
venous valves
✓ They are internal folds of the (TI) projecting into

lumen Found in medium size veins.
✓ They are abundant especially in veins of the

lower & upper limbs that prevent the backflow
of blood away from the heart.
Blood vessel of blood vessel (Vasa Vasorum)
➢Arteries & veins of diameter

over 1 mm are supplied by small ,
nutrient blood vessel that is
called vasa vasorum.
➢Supply cells of T.M. & T.A .
,mainly at large size arteries & all
veins.
Blood vessel of blood vessel (Vasa Vasorum)
Generally no capillaries are

found in T.I. ,However in some
large vessels, capillaries
penetrate as far as T.I.
(probably because of low
venous pressure & O2 tension)
Lymph vascular system
✓ The lymphatic system is a part of the immune system

✓ Consists of :
1-Lymphatic tissue : diffuse & nodular
2- Lymphatic cells : lymphocytes & antigen presenting cells (APC) as
macrophages .
3-Lymphatic vessels : carry the cells & fluid , their structure is usually
similar to the structure of the corresponding size veins.
4- Lymphatic organs : lymph nodes, spleen & thymus.
Slide shows lymph vessel (L)& venule(V).
Lymphatic vessels are responsible for draining interstitial fluid and returning it to the blood stream typically have
thin walls and delicate valves that prevent backflow. Lymphatic vessels notably lack red blood cells, which help
distinguish them from veins. The lymphatic system also plays an important role in generating immune responses.
summary
➢ Capillary has the thinnest wall in blood vessels.

➢ Capillaries are of three types.
➢ Veins has wider lumen and thinner wall in compare to their
corresponding arteries.
➢ The thickest layer in the wall of veins is the tunica adventitia .
➢ Lymphatic vessels correspond to the same size veins as have thin
walls and delicate valves that prevent backflow but lymphatic vessels
notably lack red blood cells, which help distinguish them from vein.

CVS3 Histo Dr. Lina

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Title: Cardiovascular system (III)

✓ Recognize the microstructure, organization and types of

✓ Differentiate between these blood vessels.

✓ Compare between lymph vessel (L)& venule(V) under

➢ Diameter around (7-9) μm. as a diameter of a

➢ Forming around 90% of the body vasculature

➢ Spares cap. Network as in the

Slide shows Artery, Vein & capillary under L.M.

Electron microscope (E.M.)

1-endothelium-cytoplasm is thick opposite nucleus

2-organelles usually lie in the perinuclear area

3-Basal lamina- around endothelial cells which is

4-Thin sheath of delicate collagen & elastic fibers.

➢ Pericytes are fibroblast-like cells with

➢ Contractile function : through actin

➢ Stem cells : pericytes can proliferate and

At the level of the electron microscope,

3- Sinusoidal or discontinuous cap.

➢ Muscular type according to first discovering

➢ Few or no pinocytotic vesicles are

➢ Locations:- intestinal mucosa (absorption)

➢ peripheral cytoplasm of endothelium is

➢ These pores are closed by thin diaphragm,

➢ The capillary lumen is greater than other

✓ Venous system with thin wall

✓ Venous system= Drainage system

1-Venous capillary (post-cap. venule)

✓ T.M. is best developed in veins of lower limb.

Medium size vein(H.P.)……30%TM & 70%TA

II. Tunica media (TM)(30%): poorly developed layer consist of

III. Tunica adventitia (TA)(70%): well developed, thickest coat,

✓ Longitudinal bundles of SMF in TA

✓ Vasa vasorum: numerous. Large vein H.P.

✓ They are internal folds of the (TI) projecting into

✓ They are abundant especially in veins of the

➢Arteries & veins of diameter

Generally no capillaries are

✓ The lymphatic system is a part of the immune system

➢ Capillary has the thinnest wall in blood vessels.

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