Anatomy · General Anatomy / Applied Anatomy

General principles of blood supply, venous drainage, lymphatic drainage and nerve supply of regions

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  • Vascular and nerve supply follow tissue-specific principles, shown here for skin, bone, synovial joints and skeletal muscle.

Blood and Nerve Supply of the Skin

  • Epidermis is avascular; dermal vessels supply glands, hair follicles and the metabolically active stratum basale.
  • Skin has numerous arteriovenous anastomoses regulating capillary blood flow, helping maintain body temperature.
  • Nerve supply: autonomic motor fibres control glands and blood flow; somatic sensory fibres carry cutaneous sensations.

sensory nerve endings in the skin Sensory nerve endings in the skin.

Cutaneous sensory nerve endings