Atelectasis (/ËÃ¦táµ»ËlÉktÉsáµ»s/ uses combining forms of atel- + ectasis, from Greek: á¼ÏÎµÎ»Î®Ï, incomplete + á¼ÎºÏÎ±ÏÎ¹Ï, extension) is the collapse or closure of a lung resulting in reduced or absent gas exchange.
A single capillary is so small that it allows only one blood cell to flow through it at a time. The capillary walls are also very small, only one cell thick. These thin walls easily allow water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other nutrient and waste substances to exchange between blood cells and the surrounding tissue.
Because capillaries are only one cell layer thick, they only have a tunica intima. This ultra-thin design allows for the exchange of gases and nutrients through the capillary walls. The smooth muscle found in the tunica media can be stimulated to contract, and this results in vasoconstriction and the narrowing of the blood vessel. When the stimulation stops, the smooth muscle relaxes, resulting in vasodilation and the widening of the blood vessel.