Atheroscloerotic (Fat) Plaque
Cholesterol and fat have a natural liking for arterial walls and often become pulled into the cells of the arterial wall. As the fat increases, deposits or plaques of fat are produced which limit the size of the arterial opening. Fat deposits in arteries are referred to as "atherosclerosis", and simple hardening and narrowing of the artery is called "arteriosclerosis".
Tunica Layers
Both arteries and veins have a similar construction and consists of three major layers. The tunica intima is the inner layer lined with endothelium. The tunica media is the middle layer and in arteries contains an extra layer of smooth muscle that allows for increasing or decreasing the size of the artery. The outer layer is called the tunica adventitia in both vessels.
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Valves in Arteries/Veins
While arteries utilize vessel size to move blood by pressure, veins use one-way valves controlled by muscle contractions.
