Intima

by: Joe Hing Kwok Chu

It is a general term denoting the inner-most structure.  Usually intima refers to the tunica intima vasorum which is the inner-most  layer of the blood vessel, comprising an endothelial monolayer on luminal face with subcellular elastic extracellular matrix containing a few smooth muscle cells. Below the intima is the media, then the adventitia.