Final answer:
Coronary artery blockage can lead to a myocardial infarction due to insufficient collateral circulation in the heart, causing ischemia and hypoxia which may result in cell death.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question revolves around the scenario in which blockage occurs in one of the smaller arteries branching from a major artery. In the human body, particularly in the heart, the anastomoses or natural bypass pathways are quite limited in size. Thus, should a coronary artery blockage occur, the affected heart cells may not receive adequate collateral circulation and could die, a condition known as myocardial infarction. Blockages caused by plaques can lead to ischemia, which is reduced blood flow to downstream tissues, further resulting in hypoxia or insufficient oxygen supply. These conditions are precursors to cell death and can severely impair the function of the heart or brain tissue.