CAPILLARIES

CAPILLARIES

1. form a network throughout every tissue in the body except the cornea and cartilage.

   • CAPILLARY BEDS

2. walls are extremely thin

   • single layer of endothelial cells
     • enough for one RBC at a time to squeeze through

3. tiny gaps between the individual cells that form the epitheliuem

   • allows some components of blood to seep through
     • These form tissue fluid

4. Blood loses a great deal of it's original pressure by the time it reaches capillaries

   • when it enters the capillaries, the blood pressure is around 35mm Hg
   • by the time it reaches the far end of the capillary the blood pressure will have dropped to 10 mm Hg

Images and files in the map