Final answer:
An artery close to the heart, known as an elastic artery, exhibits high resistance due to its thick walls and abundant elastic fibers, which help maintain the pressure gradient for efficient blood flow. Arterioles, on the other hand, are referred to as resistance vessels as they have a smaller lumen, dramatically slowing down blood flow. Among the given options, the blood vessel exhibiting high resistive characteristics is the post-prandial SMA.
Step-by-step explanation:
An artery is a blood vessel that conducts blood away from the heart. All arteries have relatively thick walls that can withstand the high pressure of blood ejected from the heart. However, those close to the heart have the thickest walls, containing a high percentage of elastic fibers in all three of their tunics. This type of artery is known as an elastic artery. Vessels larger than 10 mm in diameter are typically elastic. Their abundant elastic fibers allow them to expand and recoil, helping to maintain the pressure gradient needed for efficient blood flow.
On the other hand, arterioles are often referred to as resistance vessels. Arterioles have a smaller lumen compared to other blood vessels, which dramatically slows down the flow of blood from arteries. Arterioles contribute the most resistance in the vascular network and are critical in regulating blood flow to the tissues. They can constrict or dilate to change their resistance and distribute blood flow accordingly.
In the given options, hepatic arteries, renal arteries, post-prandial SMA, and pre-prandial SMA are examples of various blood vessels. Among these, hepatic arteries and renal arteries are larger arteries and would not exhibit high resistive characteristics. Post-prandial SMA refers to a branch of the superior mesenteric artery that supplies blood to the small intestine after a meal. Pre-prandial SMA refers to the same branch but before a meal. While they may exhibit some resistance, they are not the primary examples of high resistive blood vessels. Therefore, the correct answer is Option C) Post-prandial SMA.