What are capillaries?
The the smallest blood vessels is called the capillaries. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as the smallest blood vessels in the body.
What it is
- The smallest blood vessels in the body.
- Their walls are only a single cell thick.
- The site where oxygen, nutrients, and waste products are exchanged between blood and tissue.
Where it is
- Form dense networks (capillary beds) within every tissue.
- Connect the smallest arteries (arterioles) to the smallest veins (venules).
- Nearly every cell in the body lies within a fraction of a millimeter of a capillary.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Best Anatomy Answers is an educational reference about human anatomy. It is not medical advice — for any health concern, talk to a licensed medical professional.