Let me begin by responding to the question, what are arteries? Arteries are blood vessels in your body system. Its function is to carry the blood away from the heart and to provide blood and nutrients to the organs. There are two main types of arteries found in your body, which are pulmonary arteries and systematic arteries. Arteries aren’t really red-colored. You would definitely want to know why are arteries red and where do arteries carry blood, continue reading the article to know about them.
1. What is the Structure of Arteries?
Arteries carry blood from the heart to the different organs of the body and they are the largest blood vessels with the thickest walls. Before knowing why are arteries red, you must read about the structure and its layers.
- The outer layer of the vessel (or artery) is termed the outer tunic, additionally referred to as tunica externa. It contains strands of albuminoid and animal tissue and the foremost necessary arteries contain vasorum. Most layers have a transparent border between them, and also tunica externa contains a clear outlined border.
- Tunica media is the middle layer which has primarily smooth muscle. Usually, it has the thickest layer which lets arteries handle maximum pressures from the heart. It is created with clean muscle cells, stretched muscles (also referred to as connective tissue), and albuminoid fibers.
- Tunica intima is the innermost layer is simple squamous epithelium covered by a connective tissue basement membrane with elastic fibers. It is lined by a smooth tissue called the endothelium. The inner layer that comes in direct contact with the waft of blood is the tunic tissue layer unremarkably referred to as the tissue layer. (Also read What Is the Funny Bone Nerve?)
2. Why are Arteries Red?
Arteries carry blood that has oxygen which has an atomic number of 8. The oxygen is attached to the hemoprotein found in Red Blood Cells. The reaction of the iron hemoprotein turns the blood red and this is the primary reason why are arteries red. (See What Does It Mean When Your Blood Is Dark Red?).
3. Where do Arteries Carry Blood?
Arteries have enormous elastin tissues and less smooth muscles. Thus the arteries carry blood as the heart pumps blood to the lungs to generate oxygen used for the purpose of respiration. Thus, arteries transport blood to the organs under high pressure that has been exerted due to the pumping action of the heart. In this way, the arteries carry aerated blood and transfer it to the other parts of the body. (See How much blood is in Your Body?).
4. Where do Veins Carry Blood?
Veins are found close to the skin surface and carry deoxygenated blood from different organs toward the heart. They rely on valves to keep the blood transfer as they have thin walls and don’t possess any muscular layer like arteries which are located deep inside the muscles. (See Number of Bones in Human Body Male vs Female)
5. What are Arterial Diseases?
The arterial disease referred to as artery disease, affects different parts of your body starting from the heart to the muscles or the legs. The common problems include dizziness, severe headache, or a loss of balance. Below mentioned are some of the related diseases.
- Coronary artery disease: The symptoms include chest pain, weakness, dizziness, and shortness of breath. This disease happens mostly due to the factors like an unhealthy diet and high cholesterol.
- Peripheral arterial disease: The disease affecting your head, legs, and arms is termed peripheral arterial disease. The symptoms include difficulty in walking and cramping in the legs mostly affecting the calf muscle.
- Carotid artery disease: The disease affecting your neck and brain is termed carotid artery disease. The symptoms include difficulty in speaking, dizziness, severe headache, and trouble seeing.
- Renal artery disease: The disease affecting your kidneys making them stiff and narrow is termed renal artery disease. The symptoms include kidney failure which causes weakness and shortness of breath and heart failure. (See Different Types of BPD)
These diseases happen due to the factors like aging, obesity, lack of exercise, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Including a low-fat diet, quitting smoking, and doing regular exercise are some of the measures to prevent such diseases. So, by now you have enough knowledge of why are arteries red, where do arteries carry blood and the disease which are to be taken care of. (Also read 90 Mind Blowing Human Body Facts)
