arteriole
/ɑːˈtɪərɪəʊl
/noun Anatomy
A small branch of an artery leading into capillaries.Considerable congestion of pulmonary arteries, arterioles, veins, venules, and alveolar capillaries accompanied by vascular engorgement was present in four cases....
- Lesions present in the peritubular capillaries, arterioles and renal tubules were recorded.
- These branches become smaller and are differentiated into three distinct regions: pulp arterioles, sheathed arterioles, and terminal capillaries.
Derivatives
arteriolar
- It is divided into a number of lobules, each containing clusters of two distinct cell types together with arteriolar blood vessels and capillaries, nerve fibres, and a few autonomic ganglion cells.
- External injury to the alveolar wall may be the counterpart of arteriolar smooth muscle injury.
- This increase in water retention, together with contraction of arteriolar smooth muscle and increase in the rate and force of cardiac contraction, results in a rise in blood pressure.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from French artériole, diminutive of artère (see artery).