Microcirculation-Capillaries

Tissue with capillaries serves the metabolic exchange, including the respiratory exchange. All capillaries are lined with endothelial cells , which can be evaluated by looking on the tissue surface. The images shown here are longitudinal sections. Therefore, they only show the elongated, spindle-shaped endothelial cell nuclei 1 . Cells with branched interconnected processes  (pericytes ) 2 populate the outer capillary tube. The capillary from subcutaneous tissue is filled with erythrocytes 3 . Figure b shows sprouting capillaries in embryonic connective tissue 4 . The diameters of the capillaries vary from 4 to about 15 μm.

1 Endothelial cell nuclei

2 Pericytes

3 Erythrocytes

4 Embryonic connective tissue

Stain: alum hematoxylin-eosin; magnifications: a) × 400, b) × 240

References

Kuehnel, W.(2003). Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy. 4^th edition . Institute of Anatomy Universitätzu Luebeck Luebeck, Germany . Thieme Stuttgart · New York .