The pulmonary circulation is characterized as a:
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Correct answer: Low-pressure, low-resistance system
The pulmonary circuit operates at a much lower pressure than the systemic circuit. This prevents excessive fluid filtration into the lungs and is supported by a vast, low-resistance capillary bed.
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More Pulmonary Capillaries questions
- Which of the following is true regarding the 'blood-air barrier' thickness?
- Pulmonary capillary endothelial cells are joined by which type of junction to prevent fluid leakage?
- What happens to pulmonary capillaries during alveolar expansion (inspiration)?
- What provides the primary force for the movement of gases across the pulmonary capillary wall?
- The absence of which structure in pulmonary capillaries distinguishes them from those in the kidneys or small intestine?
- Under electron microscopy, the cytoplasm of the pulmonary capillary endothelial cell appears: