Arteries
Muscle + elastic fibres Non-elastic fibres
Lumen
Veins
Lumen Muscle + elastic fibres
Arteries carry blood away from the heart and have a thick, elastic, muscular wall. They stretch as blood is pumped in and the muscle wall contracts to force blood along. Veins have a relatively thinner and less muscular wall than arteries. The blood is under a lower pressure than in the arteries. Capillary walls are one cell thick. Exchange of nutrients and respiratory gases occurs across their surface.
Capillaries