Abstract
We studied the surface topography of dermal blood vessels following removal of the surrounding tissues. Arterioles were characterized by a layer of densely packed, uniform and thick muscle cells with longitudinally running parallel creases and small pits on the surface. There were interconnections by means of a number of thin lateral projections. In contrast to arteries, venules were characterized by a discontinuous muscle cell layer and width of the cells varied. The cells seemed to be superimposed on the underlining endothelial cells due to lack of intercalating elastic lamina. Here too there were interconnections by means of thin lateral projections, but the number was smaller than that of arterioles.
