Do all humans have the same number of veins and arteries? If so, how does the body know how many and where to make these veins and arteries?
In: Biology
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This is an amazing video from Michael Levin from Tufts about how the body might know how to build these complex structures:
It’s long but fascinating. TLDR version is that all cells have connections with their neighbours similar to the ones neurons in our brains do. These connections create bio-electrical “maps” for where things go. For example, with a small change to those connections he made a zebra fish’s gut turn into an eye with all the parts of an eye. Not gene editing, not manipulating cell by cell, just changing the bio electrical map.
Quite incredible watch!
Largely yes, all the major veins and arteries follow a similar pattern in everyone. If its important enough to have a name, everyone probably has it! Your body knows how and where to make these just like it knows how and where to make your bones and organs – it’s all described in your dna.
But on a smaller level, your capillary networks will be different because they change depending on what you need. The body is amazing creating new vascular pathways when necessary. For example, if one vessel is damaged, alternative vessels will be created to carry to blood flow instead. We also see changes when people build muscle: that muscle tissue needs a blood supply so you’ll be gaining blood vessels as well as biceps. This is also true of tumors which are very good at keeping themselves alive by ensuring that the body provides a blood supply for them, which is one of the reasons that enlarged blood vessels in a localised area can be an indication of cancer
DNA contains sequence of genes which in fact is functional design specification of a body. According to this specificaton body know how to develop. Basically almost all humans have the same number of veins and arteries, but sometimes deviations may occur due to “typos” in specification.
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