Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Veins
- Carry blood back towards the heart
- Tiny venules lead from the capillary network, merging into larger&larger vessels leading back to the heart
- Eventually 2 veins carry the returning blood to the heart
- Inferior vena cava (lower parts of the body
- Superior vena cava (upper parts of the body)
- Most veins carry deoxygenated blood
- EXCEPTIONS
- Pulmonary vein
- It carries Oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart for circulation
- During pregnancy
- Umbilical vein carries oxygenated blood from the placenta from the fetus
- Veins can hold a large quantity of blood
- Blood pressure in veins is low
- Blood pressure surges are eliminated as the blood flows through the capillary beds
- HOWEVER blood needs to reach the heart at a low pressure
- This happens using one way valves (SEMILUNAR VALVES)
- Blood can flow towards the heart but not away from it as the contracted muscles relax, closing the semilunar valves