Small artery, vein and lymphatic vessel (20x objective
lens)
This low magnification image of a section through the connnective tissue of
the skin shows several vessels, including: (1) a small
artery (to the left in the image) with a thick layer of smooth
muscle around a tube of simple squamous epithelium; (2) a corresponding vein
(in the center), with a thin layer of smooth muscle around a tube of simple
squamous epithelium; (3) and a lymphatic vessel
(to the right), consisting of a simple squamous epoithelium and a thin covering
of connnective tissue. Note that diameter of the vein lumen is much larger
than that of the corresponding artery and the thickness of the wall is greater
in the artery compared to the vein. Note also that the connective tissue covering
(tunica adventitia) of the artery is thinner
than the tunical media, whereas the tunica adventitia of the vein is thicker
than its tunica media.
