Home > E. Pathology by systems > Cardiovascular system > Vessels > blood vessels
blood vessels
Sunday 4 February 2018
Adj. vascular
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Definition : The blood vessels are the part of the circulatory system, and microcirculation, that transports blood throughout the human body.
There are three major types of blood vessels: the arteries, which carry the blood away from the heart; the capillaries, which enable the actual exchange of water and chemicals between the blood and the tissues; and the veins, which carry blood from the capillaries back toward the heart.
The word vascular, meaning relating to the blood vessels, is derived from the Latin vas, meaning vessel. A few structures (such as cartilage and the lens of the eye) do not contain blood vessels and are labeled.
