What is the name of the thin-walled blood vessels that facilitate the exchange of oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and waste with the body's cells?

The thin-walled blood vessels responsible for facilitating the exchange of oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and waste with the body's cells are called capillaries. Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels in the circulatory system and have walls that are only one cell thick. This unique structure allows for efficient diffusion of gases and substances between blood and tissues.

Oxygen from the blood can easily pass through the capillary walls into the surrounding tissues, while carbon dioxide and metabolic wastes produced by the cells can move from the tissues into the capillaries to be carried away. This exchange process is critical for maintaining homeostasis within the body, ensuring that cells receive the necessary nutrients and oxygen to function effectively while also removing waste products.

Other types of blood vessels, such as arteries and veins, serve different functions in the circulatory system. Arteries carry blood away from the heart, often under high pressure, and have thicker walls to withstand that pressure. Veins, on the other hand, return blood to the heart and typically have valves to prevent backflow, but they do not participate directly in the exchange of substances with tissues like capillaries do. Venules are small vessels that collect blood from capillaries and lead into veins, but they