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A Closer Look at Blood Vessels. Section 2. Arteries. When blood leaves the heart, it travels through _____________. The first branches, called the _______________________, carry blood to the heart itself. Other branches carry blood to the brain, intestines, and other organs. Artery Structure.
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A Closer Look at Blood Vessels Section 2
Arteries • When blood leaves the heart, it travels through _____________. • The first branches, called the _______________________, carry blood to the heart itself. Other branches carry blood to the brain, intestines, and other organs.
Artery Structure • The walls of the arteries are generally very _____________. • Artery walls consist of __________ cell layers. • The innermost layer is made up of _______________ tissue. • The middle layer consist mostly of ____________________. • The outer wall is made up of flexible ____________________.
Regulating Blood Flow • The layer of muscle in an artery acts as a control gate, adjusting the amount of blood sent to different organs.
Capillaries • In the capillaries, materials are exchanged between the blood and the body’s cells. • Capillary walls are only ____________ cell thick. • Materials can pass easily through them. • One way materials are exchanged between the blood and body cells is by ______________.
Veins • After blood moves through capillaries, it enters larger blood vessels, called ___________, which carry blood back to the heart. • The walls of the veins, like those of arteries, have _________ layers, with muscle in the middle layer.
Blood Pressure • Blood pressure is cause by the force with which the _________ contract. • As blood moves away from the heart, lood pressure decreases. • Blood flowing through the arteries exerts the highest pressure. • Blood pressure in arteries farther from the heart is much lower.
Measuring Blood Pressure • Blood pressure can be measured with an instrument called a ___________________. • Blood pressure is expressed in ________________ of mercury. • The first number is a measure of the blood pressure while the heart’s ventricles contract and pump blood into the arteries. • The second number, which is lower, measure the blood pressure while the ______________________.