What do arteries become as they branch into smaller vessels?

As arteries branch into smaller vessels, they progressively narrow and transition into arterioles. Arterioles are smaller diameter blood vessels that lead directly to capillaries. This transition is crucial in the circulatory system as it allows for the regulation of blood flow and pressure. Arterioles play a key role in controlling the distribution of blood to various tissues and organs by constricting or dilating in response to various signals.

Capillaries, which are the smallest blood vessels, consist of only a single layer of endothelial cells and are where the exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste products occurs. Aneurysms refer to abnormal bulges in the walls of blood vessels and are not a part of the normal branching pattern of arteries. Venules are small veins that collect blood from capillaries and do not represent the continuation of the arterial system. Therefore, the correct understanding of the hierarchy of blood vessels leading from arteries to arterioles reflects an important concept in cardiovascular physiology.