Quick Facts
The vasa vasorum are the small nutrient arteries and the veins in the walls of the larger blood vessels (Dorland, 2011).
Structure
The vasa vasorum are a network of small blood vessels within the walls of larger blood vessels. The vasa vasorum are small, thin walled blood vessels composed predominantly of endothelial cells, a very thin basement membrane and scattered pericytes.
Anatomical Relations
The lower pressure within veins allows the vasa vasorum to be located closer to the lumen. Their thin walls enable blood and nutrients to pass easily through them.
Function
The vasa vasorum provides vascular supply oxygen and nutrients to the outer media and adventitia layers of larger blood vessels (Mulligan-Kehoe and Simons, 2014).
List of Clinical Correlates
- Syphilitic aortitis
References
Dorland, W. (2011) Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 32nd edn. Philadelphia, USA: Elsevier Saunders.
Mulligan-Kehoe, M. J. and Simons, M. (2014) 'Vasa vasorum in normal and diseased arteries', Circulation, 129(24), pp. 2557-66.
