Blood Vessels - Football Fitness
There are five different types of blood vessels that can be found within the body.
| Vessel | Description and Function |
|---|---|
| Arteries | Always carry blood away from the heart. They connect the heart to the arterioles |
| Arterioles | Smaller than arteries and less elastic. The smooth muscle in their walls can contract causing them to narrow, so that they can control and restrict blood flow. |
| Capillaries | Blood within the arterioles is passed into capillaries. They have extremely thin walls and are so small that only one red blood cell can pass through at a time. They provide the location for the exchange of gases and nutrients between blood and the body’s cells. |
| Venules | Deoxygenated blood is passed from capillaries into the venules. As the number of the venules decrease they increase in size and turn into veins. |
| Veins | Thinner than arteries and contain valves. These valves ensure that the blood only flows in one direction – towards the heart |