An
elastic artery (
conducting artery or
conduit artery) is an
artery with a large number of
collagen and
elastin filaments in the
tunica media, which gives it the ability to stretch in response to each pulse. This elasticity also gives rise to the
Windkessel effect, which helps to maintain a relatively constant pressure in the arteries despite the pulsating nature of the blood flow. Elastic arteries include the largest arteries in the body, those closest to the heart. They give rise to medium-sized vessels known as
distributing arteries (or
muscular arteries).