arterei

Arterei is a term that appears in some anatomical and linguistic contexts to denote arteries, the vessels that form part of the circulatory system and carry blood away from the heart. In English, the standard term is arteries; "arterei" is not widely used in modern English medical nomenclature but may be found in non-English sources, transliterations, or historical texts as a plural form or root variant of related words such as arterie or arteria.

Arteries have a layered wall structure consisting of three tunics: the tunica intima, tunica media, and tunica adventitia. The tunica media contains smooth muscle and elastic fibers, enabling vasoconstriction and vasodilation to regulate blood flow and pressure. The arterial system begins with the aorta and extends through major vessels such as the carotids, subclavians, renal and iliac arteries, down to increasingly smaller arterioles that feed capillary networks.

Functionally, arteries are responsible for delivering oxygenated blood (in systemic circulation) and nutrients to tissues, supporting tissue metabolism and organ function. They also help maintain arterial pressure and influence peripheral resistance through muscular control and local autoregulation, responding to metabolic needs and neural inputs.

Developmentally, arteries form through vasculogenesis and angiogenesis during embryogenesis, followed by remodeling that yields artery-specific properties suited to regional demands. Pathologies affecting arteries—such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, aneurysms, and arterial occlusions—have major clinical implications, including ischemia and organ dysfunction. Variations in arterial anatomy occur across species and individuals, reflecting adaptations to physiology and environment.

See also: vein, capillary, circulatory system, cardiovascular anatomy. Note: the term "arterei" is not commonly used in contemporary English medical literature, where "arteries" remains the standard term.