Tunica intima

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Tunica intima
Transverse section through a small artery and vein of the mucous membrane of the epiglottis of a child. (Tunica intima is at "e".)
Details
Part of	Wall of blood vessels
Identifiers
Latin	tunica intima
MeSH	D017539
TA98	A12.0.00.018
TA2	3922
TH	H3.09.02.0.01003
FMA	55589
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The tunica intima (Neo-Latin "inner coat"), or intima for short, is the innermost tunica (layer) of an artery or vein. It is made up of one layer of endothelial cells (and macrophages in areas of disturbed blood flow),^[1][2] and is supported by an internal elastic lamina. The endothelial cells are in direct contact with the blood flow.

The three layers of a blood vessel are an inner layer (the tunica intima), a middle layer (the tunica media), and an outer layer (the tunica externa).

In dissection, the inner coat (tunica intima) can be separated from the middle (tunica media) by a little maceration, or it may be stripped off in small pieces; but, because of its friability, it cannot be separated as a complete membrane. It is a fine, transparent, colorless structure which is highly elastic, and, after death, is commonly corrugated into longitudinal wrinkles.