Abstract
Background: We hypothesized that smooth muscle contraction and relaxation responses in a muscle
bath (isometric tension) would be different than responses of intact vessels (isotonic
tension). Methods: Bovine carotid artery contractile responses to the catecholamine, norepinephrine,
and smooth muscle relaxant, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, were examined in strips of
vessels in a muscle bath and in intact whole vessels in an isolated perfused whole-vessel
perfusion apparatus. Results: The maximal tension in the muscle bath depended on the length of the strip. The responses
of whole vessels to increasing pressure was curvilinear. The maximal decrease in vessel
diameter in intact vessels in response to the catecholamine and norepinephrine occurred
at low intraluminal pressures. The dose-response curve to norepinephrine was shifted
to the left in intact vessels compared with strips of vessels in the muscle bath,
which suggests that whole vessels were more sensitive to norepinephrine. The maximal
increase in diameter to increasing intraluminal pressure occurred in the presence
of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, which suggests that
there was significant intrinsic tone in the vascular smooth muscle. Conclusions: These results suggest that there are differences in the contractile properties of
the vascular smooth muscle that are related to the ex vivo system used to examine
smooth muscle responses. Responses obtained in isolated perfused whole vessels may
more closely approximate in vivo responses. (Surgery 2000;127:148-54.)
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to SurgeryAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Renal artery smooth muscle is refractory to contraction by angiotensin II.J Surg Res. 1996; 61: 307-310
- Mechanical properties of arteries.Physiol Rev. 1978; 58: 397-460
- Effect of variations in pressure and flow on the geometry of isolated canine carotid arteries.J Biomechanics. 1987; 20: 831-838
- Evaluation of endothelium-derived nitric oxide mediated vasodilation using ex vivo perfusion in an intact vessel.J Surg Res. 1992; 52: 416-421
- Endothelial-dependent vasodilation is associated with increases in the phosphorylation of a small heat shock protein (HSP20).J Vasc Surg. 1999; 29: 678-684
- The impact of balloon embolectomy on the function and morphology of the endothelium.J Surg Res. 1997; 67: 9-13
- Impaired cyclic nucleotide-dependent relaxation in human umbilical artery smooth muscle.Am J Physiol. 1995; 268: H202-H212
- Length-dependent sensitivity in vascular smooth muscle.Am J Physiol. 1981; 241: H55763
- Wall thickness to lumen diameter ratios of arteries from SHR and WKY: comparison of pressurized and wire-mounted preparations.J Vasc Res. 1992; 29: 435-442
Woodrum D, Brophy CM, Wingard CJ, Beall A, Rasmussen, H. The phosphorylation events associated with cyclic nucleotide-dependent inhibition of smooth muscle contraction. Am J Physiol. In Press.
- Pressure and flow-dependent vascular tone.FASEB J. 1991; 5: 2267-2273
- Elastase, collagenase, and the radial elastic properties of arteries.Experientia. 1985; 41: 1040-1042
- Intrinsic tone as potential vascular reserve in conductance and resistance vessels.Circulation. 1995; 94: 1083-1088
- Helically cut vascular strip preparation: geometrical considerations.Am J Physiol. 1980; 238: H109-H115
- Spiral laminar flow in arteries?.Lancet. 1991; 338: 1360-1361
- Spiral laminar flow in vivo.Clin Sci. 1996; 91: 17-21
- Hemodynamic measurements in unanesthetized calves.J Surg Res. 1971; 11: 383-386
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
June 27,
1999
Footnotes
*Supported by a VA Merit Review and NIH RO-1 HL58027-01.
**Reprint requests: Colleen M. Brophy, MD, Medical College of Georgia, Department of Surgery, 1120 15th St, Augusta, GA 30912.
Identification
Copyright
© 2000 Mosby, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
