The circulatory system is a vital system for human beings, since it allows the circulation of blood and with it the oxygen and nutrients that all our cells need to stay alive. This system is configured in addition to the heart and blood vessels, with several types of different sizes.
The two types of large vessels that are part of the circulatory system are arteries and veins. These are glasses with tasks and characteristics that make them different from each other. In this article we are going to observe some of the main differences between arteries and veins
It is understood as blood vessels those hollow tube-shaped structures through which blood circulates and which together with the heart make up the cardiovascular system. There are various types of blood vessels, which are responsible for either carrying the blood pumped by the heart to the organs or for returning said blood to the heart.
Among these blood vessels we can find large vessels and small vessels. The small vessels are capillaries, arterioles and venules which turn out to be extensions of arteries and veins and allow oxygen and nutrients to reach the cell or for blood to be returned from the organ or cell to the vein. The great vessels are the arteries and veins, which carry and direct blood either to the organs (arteries) or to the heart (veins) and which are inserted into them through capillaries.
Although from the above we can already deduce one of the main differences between the two, this and other differences between arteries and veins are indicated below.
1. Main function
One of the main differences between arteries and veins, and the best known, is that they perform opposite functions: while arteries carry blood from the heart to the organs, veins carry blood from the organs to the heart.
2. Composition of the blood they carry
Another of the main differences, linked to the previous one, is the type of blood they carry: While blood with a high level of oxygenation travels through the arteries, the blood carried by the veins has very low levels of this component and residues from organic functioning abound in it, such as CO2
The only exception is seen in the communication between heart and lungs, in which arteries and veins carry out functions opposite to the usual ones: the arteries carry blood with carbon dioxide and without oxygen to the lungs (from which the CO2 and the blood will be reoxygenated through breathing) while the veins are responsible for carrying oxygen-rich blood to the heart.
This is linked to its function: oxygenated blood from the heart is sent to the organs which allows them to function, and subsequently returns to it so that it can be enriched with oxygen from lung activity and through the same medium expel the CO2 product of the organism’s activity.
3. Pressure at which its content circulates
Another of the big differences between arteries and veins is the pressure with which blood circulates. There is high blood pressure in the arteries derived among other things from its thickness, shrinkage capacity and elasticity. On the other hand, venous pressure is much lower, taking longer for blood to reach the heart from the organs than the other way around.
The arteries do not have any type of valve, their high level of pressure being derived from their size, thickness and elasticity and originating the movement of blood in the heart In the case of veins, the existence of small internal pumps and valves can be observed that allow blood to be directed towards the heart and prevent it from flowing back to the organs.
5. Size, thickness and fragility
Veins and arteries They also differ in their resistance and the thickness of their walls The arteries have a thick wall and the ability to contract, making them very resistant. On the other hand, a vein is much more fragile and brittle, having much thinner and weaker walls. Likewise, veins tend to be larger than arteries.
6. Structure
This is due to its structure. Both great vessels have an inner layer of endothelial tissue, a middle layer of muscle tissue and an outer layer of connective tissue In arteries the muscular layer is much thicker than in veins, which makes them more rigid.
7. Interpersonal variability
Another difference can be found in that while the veins have a highly variable pattern and arrangement depending on the person, the arteries generally appear in the same locations in the majority of human beings.
