What does "vascular" mean??

[mytoechondriac]

Hi!!

I looked it up in the dictionary and read some stuff about it, but it's still not clear to me. Vascular means anything pertaining to a blood vessel? That definition doesn't make sense when it talks about gas exchange in the cardiovascular system.

The following sentence is confusing(EK Bio, p.141):

"Nutrient and gas exchange w/any other tissue other than VASCULAR tissue takes place only across capillary walls."

What does vascular mean? Wtf is this talking about, exchanging gases with other blood vessels? The cardio system is a closed system and blood flow is unidirectional, at least in the heart. Doesn't make sense.

Please help me understand this!! I looked this up in 3 different dictionaries and I still don't get it.

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[BklynWill]

Perhaps that quote is referencing the vasa vasorum? It's a bit hard to interpret without seeing the full context.

 

[hung]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vascular
"An organ or tissue that is vascularized is heavily endowed with blood vessels and thus richly supplied with blood."

So tissues that aren't vascular exchange gases at capillary walls.

 

[DrMattOglesby]

I think it is putting you in the mindset to recognize other areas of gas & nutrient exchange in the body.
From your studies, you might recall that Simple Squamos Epithelial Tissue is the main cell type to allow gas & nutrient exchange. From the looks of your question, it seems you just had to look beyond what is meant by vascular (blood vessels) and start thinking about other areas such as alveoli in the lungs.

 

[mytoechondriac]

Thanks, guys!!!

 

[superduper12]

so i just want to make sure I understand this.

"Nutrient and gas exchange w/any other tissue other than VASCULAR tissue takes place only across capillary walls."

actually no, i don't understand this...could you explain further?

 

[Bu2009]

You didn't finish the entire sentence/thought which reads. Nutrient and gas exchange with any tissue other than vascular tissue takes place only across capillary walls, not across artrioles or venules.

vascular" means "related to blood vessels", which are part of the Circulatory system. An organ or tissue that is vascularized is heavily endowed with blood vessels and thus richly supplied with blood. From wiki.

This is saying vascular tissue can have nutriet and gas exchange that takes place at arterioles, venules and capillary walls, while non-vascular tissues ie not heavy in blood vessels can only have exchange across capillary. This is why Capillary are found close to all cells of the body.

 

[superduper12]

alright got it

vascular tissue (contains lots of blood vessels) - exchange nutrients and gas at arterioles, venules, and capillary walls. ex: lungs

non vascular tissue (few blood vessels) - exchange nutrients at capillary walls only, not arterioles or venules. ex: muscle