The correct answer is (d) Both B and C.
The pulmonary artery and the pulmonary vein are both blood vessels that are part of the pulmonary circulation, which carries blood between the heart and the lungs. However, they have several key differences:
Endothelium: Both the pulmonary artery and the pulmonary vein have an endothelium, which is a layer of cells that lines the inner surface of blood vessels. The endothelium is important for regulating blood flow and maintaining the integrity of the vessel walls. So, option (a) "No endothelium" is incorrect.
Valves: The pulmonary artery does not have valves. Valves are structures that help prevent the backflow of blood. In contrast, the pulmonary veins do have valves, which aid in directing blood flow from the lungs back to the heart. Therefore, option (b) "Valves" is incorrect for the pulmonary artery but correct for the pulmonary vein.
Wall thickness: The walls of the pulmonary artery are thicker compared to those of the pulmonary vein. This is because the pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs under high pressure, while the pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart under lower pressure. So, option (c) "Thicker walls" is correct for the pulmonary artery but incorrect for the pulmonary vein.
In summary, the correct answer is (d) Both B and C: the pulmonary artery lacks valves, and it has thicker walls compared to the pulmonary vein.