Difference between Efferent Arteriole and Afferent Arteriole

There are many similarities between the left and right arteries of the heart. They are both essential to the heart’s circulation, they have a similar diameter and wall structure, and they both connect on one side with a smaller artery while connecting on the other side with a larger artery. However, there is one very important difference between them: The efferent arteries of your heart are responsible for returning oxygenated blood back to your lungs whereas afferent arteries bring deoxygenated blood from your lungs back into circulation.

What is Efferent Arteriole?

An efferent artery is a type of arterial vessel that returns oxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.

Functions of Efferent Arteriole

The primary function of the efferent arteries is to return oxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs where it can be re-oxygenated and returned to the body in order to maintain homeostasis.

In order for this process to be effective, there must be an adequate pressure gradient between both of these organs.

Efferent Arteriole Anatomy

The efferent arteries emerge at right angles from the tricuspid and pulmonary valves, which are located on either side of the heart. They pass through a series of heart chambers before joining with another pair of vessels called pulmonary veins that return deoxygenated blood back into circulation. The efferent arteries are of a similar diameter to the other arteries that supply the heart, but are smooth and lack muscle. The efferent arteries are approximately 1.5-3 times longer than they are wide and have an arrangement of the lumen and red blood cells similar to the other arterial vessels in the circulatory system.

What is Afferent Arteriole?

An afferent artery is a type of arterial vessel that brings deoxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart. The pathway for afferent arteries and efferent arteries are similar in an important way: both travel down the right side of your chest and connect with a major artery, or “branch”, on one side, while connecting with a vein on the other side. The main difference between them is what happens next.

Afferent Arteriole Anatomy

Afferent arteries are the pulmonary arteries, which connect the heart to the lungs. They have the same diameter and wall structure as other arterial vessels and their lumen contains red blood cells. The afferent artery connects with a smaller artery called pulmonary arterioles on one side while connecting with a vein on the other side.

Afferent Arteriole: Importance

The main reason why it is important to understand these two different types of arteries is that it makes it possible for blood to pass between your heart and lungs when your circulatory system becomes obstructed in some way.

Efferent Arteriole and Afferent Arteriole: Differences

1) Afferent arteries bring deoxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart while efferent arteries return oxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.

2) Afferent arteries connect with a smaller artery on one side while connecting with a vein on the other side, whereas efferent arteries connect at right angles to both of these structures and do not connect to smaller vessels.

3) Efferent arteries are smooth and lack muscle, whereas Afferent arterioles have muscle on their outer lining.

4) Efferent artery diameter is larger than Afferent arteriole

5) Efferent Arteriole is longer and has more bends than Afferent Arteriole.

6) Efferent Arteriole is much wider than Afferent Arteriole.

Efferent Arteriole and Afferent Arteriole – Similarities:

1) Both of these arteries have a similar wall structure and diameter that connect to both the right and left sides of your chest.

2) Both of these arteries are essential to the heart’s circulation as they return oxygenated blood from your heart to the lungs where it can be re-oxygenated and returned to the body in order to maintain homeostasis.

3) Both of these arteries have an arrangement of the lumen and red blood cells similar to the other arterial vessels in the circulatory system.

4) Both of these arteries have similar anatomical structures, but they are arranged differently.

Conclusion

It is important to understand that each of these arteries is essential to your circulatory system but plays different roles. The Efferent Arteriole aids in the return of oxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs, while the Afferent Arterioles aid in delivering deoxygenated blood from the lungs back into circulation.

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