157.A 66-year-old man patient who was diagnosed with type II diabetes
10 years ago presents with an aching pain in the muscles of his lower
extremity. He says the pain is relieved by rest and worsened by resumed
physical activity. His lower limbs appear cold, pale, and discolored, and
he has a sore on the skin of his left calf. He has a weak tibial pulse on both
sides and poor skin filling from capillaries. In this patient, which of the
following functions would be primarily affected in the blood vessel from
the lower extremity shown in the accompanying transmission electron
micrograph?
254 Anatomy, Histology, and Cell Biology
a. Adaptation to systolic pressure
b. Distribution of blood within an organ
c. Blood flow from the aorta to specific organs
d. Return of lymphocytes to the blood
e. Return of venous blood to the heart