Cardiovascular | Microcirculation

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Ninja Nerds!
In this cardiovascular physiology lecture, Professor Zach Murphy explores the vital topic of microcirculation—blood flow through the smallest vessels, including arterioles, capillaries, and venules. This lecture focuses on how nutrients, gases, and waste products are exchanged between the blood and tissues, and how local blood flow is finely regulated at the microvascular level.

We begin by detailing the microvascular components' structural organization and functional roles, emphasizing arterioles as resistance vessels, capillaries as exchange sites, and venules in volume collection. Zach walks you through diffusion, filtration, and reabsorption mechanisms, tying in Starling forces and oncotic vs. hydrostatic pressure gradients.

You’ll also learn about the influence of precapillary sphincters, metarterioles, and vasoactive substances (like nitric oxide and endothelin) on the regulation of local perfusion. Clinical insights include the pathophysiology of edema, shock, and inflammatory responses, which directly impact capillary exchange dynamics.

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