What is Microcirculation?

Microcirculation refers to the blood circulation in the microvasculature before the capillaries of human arterioles and venules. Microcirculation is the most terminal part of human blood vessels. It nourishes the surrounding blood vessels, nerves and cells.

Microcirculation is the place where human tissues and cells absorb nutrients, oxygen and excrete metabolites. Then such a tiny blood vessel can only be seen under a microscope, so it is called microcirculation.

Microcirculation is one of the basic characteristics of life. It is generally believed that microcirculation refers to the microcirculation of blood in capillaries (the channel of cellular energy in capillaries). Many organs are organically combined with arterioles, capillaries, venules and lymphatic capillaries. They are also an important part of the organs.

Microcirculation is one of the basic characteristics of life. It is the continuous transmission of matter, energy and information between organisms and their surroundings. Single-celled organisms can spread through cell membranes, but only the lungs, stomach and intestines can transmit matter, energy and information through the trachea and esophagus through cell membranes. The location, function and metabolism of other organs have been established, and the tissues and cells that make up the organs cannot communicate directly with the external environment. Material, energy and information are transmitted only through tissue fluids, blood and lymph nodes. Microcirculation is directly involved in the flow of substances, energy and blood, lymph and tissue fluid in tissues and cells. Because hemoglobin is red, blood flow in arterioles, capillaries and venules can be observed directly under a microscope. The flow of lymph and tissue fluids could not be seen without special treatment. Therefore, in clinical practice, microcirculation is generally considered to refer to blood microcirculation, and blood microcirculation is a field in which people learn more and understand more clearly.

Compared with general circulation, microcirculation has five characteristics. The microcirculation can be preliminarily understood by understanding these characteristics.

Microcirculation is not only the most distal part of circulatory system, but also an important part of organs.

Microvessels and capillary lymphatics are the most distal part of the circulatory system and belong to the circulatory system. In many organs, parenchymal cells and tissues combine organically with arterioles, capillaries, venules and lymphatic capillaries to form three-dimensional structures with microvessels as important scaffolds, so they are also important components of organs.

Microcirculation has not only the common characteristics of blood vessels, but also the characteristics of organs.

Microvessels and capillary lymphatics are tubular, facilitating the flow of blood and lymph. However, the morphology and structure of microvessels have their own characteristics in various organs, such as the arrangement, morphology and structure of small intestinal villi, alveoli, liver and bone marrow microvessels. Even different parts of the same organ, such as lymph nodes, spleen, body and medulla, have their own characteristics.

Microcirculation is not only the way of circulation, but also the place of material exchange.

Microvasculature is the pathway of circulation. The circulating blood of the whole body flows through the microvasculature, with the exception of parts that flow through branches of arteries and veins to perfuse tissues and cells. Interstitial fluid exists in the space between tissues and cells and flows between microvessels, cells and lymphatic capillaries. Capillary lymphatics are one of the important output channels of cells and tissues. Therefore, microcirculation is the place where cells and tissues exchange substances with blood and lymph.

Microcirculation not only has the common characteristics of metabolism, such as blood vessel, lymphatic vessel and interstitial space, but also shows some characteristics of cell metabolism in organs.

Microcirculation is not only regulated by nerves and body fluids, but also by local regulation.

In short, microcirculation is different from general circulation, and has "duality". That is, in terms of attributes, morphology, function, metabolism and regulation, general circulation system and organ specificity.