Muscular/Distributing Artery

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Aorta ] [ Muscular Artery ] [ Small Artery ] [ Arteriole ] [ Capillaries ]

We know this is a muscular artery not just because it is smaller than the aorta, but because there are much fewer strands of elastin in the tunica media, making the inner elastic lamina more prominent. This section was stained for elastic fibers.   It is not a small artery because there are more than 25 layers of smooth muscle in the tunica media. I expect you to know the layers indicated on the image. Click on "tunica media" and "tunica intima" for close-ups.

[WebSlide] Cardiovascular_WSU; Digital artery (WSU_1_080)