DIAGRAM: GASTROINTESTINAL: GI: ARTERY: Effects of Hypertension on the Vessel Wall - 6 of 14; A=Endothelial Cell, B=Intima -- The intima is the layer of the artery wall that is closest to the plasma. It is lined with a single layer of cells called the endothelium that serves as a protective coating or barrier and a non-thrombogenic