In the circulatory system, blood vessels are critical components, as they are responsible for the dynamic transfer of materials and blood products to and from every cell in the body.
The vascular network originates at the heart’s outlets, travels throughout the body, and returns to the heart’s primary venous inlets to complete the cycle.
This intricate vascular highway is responsible for transporting blood cells, nutrients, oxygen, and pharmacological substances to and from the tissues.
In the same way as blood arteries move material toward the tissue, they also facilitate the elimination of cellular byproducts, carbon dioxide, and harmful substances from the tissues.
The vascular system is divided into two categories according to its histological structure: the macrovasculature and the microvasculature.
Generally speaking, the macrovasculature refers to any vessel that can be seen with the naked eye, whereas the microvasculature refers to vessels that are smaller than 100 microns in size.