Biomaterial Database

The effects of hindlimb unweighting on the capacitance of rat small mesenteric veins. 2000

S L Dunbar, and D E Berkowitz, and E M Brooks-Asplund, and A A Shoukas

Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. sdunbar@bme.jhu.edu

Microgravity is associated with an impaired cardiac output response to orthostatic stress. Mesenteric veins are critical in modulating cardiac filling through venoconstriction. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of simulated microgravity on the capacitance of rat mesenteric small veins. We constructed pressure-diameter relationships from vessels of 21-day hindlimb-unweighted (HLU) rats and control rats by changing the internal pressure and measuring the external diameter. Pressure-diameter relationships were obtained both before and after stimulation with norepinephrine (NE). The pressure-diameter curves of HLU vessels were shifted to larger diameters than control vessels. NE (10(-4) M) constricted veins from control animals such that the pressure-diameter relationship was significantly shifted downward (i.e., to smaller diameters at equal pressure). NE had no effect on vessels from HLU animals. These results indicate that, after HLU, unstressed vascular volume may be increased and can no longer decrease in response to sympathetic stimulation. This may partially underlie the mechanism leading to the exaggerated fall in cardiac output and stroke volume seen in astronauts during an orthostatic stress after exposure to microgravity.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008642	Mesenteric Veins	Veins which return blood from the intestines; the inferior mesenteric vein empties into the splenic vein, the superior mesenteric vein joins the splenic vein to form the portal vein.	Mesenteric Vein,Vein, Mesenteric,Veins, Mesenteric
D009638	Norepinephrine	Precursor of epinephrine that is secreted by the ADRENAL MEDULLA and is a widespread central and autonomic neurotransmitter. Norepinephrine is the principal transmitter of most postganglionic sympathetic fibers, and of the diffuse projection system in the brain that arises from the LOCUS CERULEUS. It is also found in plants and is used pharmacologically as a sympathomimetic.	Levarterenol,Levonorepinephrine,Noradrenaline,Arterenol,Levonor,Levophed,Levophed Bitartrate,Noradrenaline Bitartrate,Noradrénaline tartrate renaudin,Norepinephrin d-Tartrate (1:1),Norepinephrine Bitartrate,Norepinephrine Hydrochloride,Norepinephrine Hydrochloride, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine Hydrochloride, (+,-)-Isomer,Norepinephrine d-Tartrate (1:1),Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1),Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1), (+,-)-Isomer,Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1), Monohydrate,Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:1), Monohydrate, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine l-Tartrate (1:2),Norepinephrine l-Tartrate, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine, (+)-Isomer,Norepinephrine, (+,-)-Isomer
D006614	Hindlimb	Either of two extremities of four-footed non-primate land animals. It usually consists of a FEMUR; TIBIA; and FIBULA; tarsals; METATARSALS; and TOES. (From Storer et al., General Zoology, 6th ed, p73)	Hindlimbs
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013318	Stroke Volume	The amount of BLOOD pumped out of the HEART per beat, not to be confused with cardiac output (volume/time). It is calculated as the difference between the end-diastolic volume and the end-systolic volume.	Ventricular Ejection Fraction,Ventricular End-Diastolic Volume,Ventricular End-Systolic Volume,Ejection Fraction, Ventricular,Ejection Fractions, Ventricular,End-Diastolic Volume, Ventricular,End-Diastolic Volumes, Ventricular,End-Systolic Volume, Ventricular,End-Systolic Volumes, Ventricular,Fraction, Ventricular Ejection,Fractions, Ventricular Ejection,Stroke Volumes,Ventricular Ejection Fractions,Ventricular End Diastolic Volume,Ventricular End Systolic Volume,Ventricular End-Diastolic Volumes,Ventricular End-Systolic Volumes,Volume, Stroke,Volume, Ventricular End-Diastolic,Volume, Ventricular End-Systolic,Volumes, Stroke,Volumes, Ventricular End-Diastolic,Volumes, Ventricular End-Systolic
D013564	Sympathetic Nervous System	The thoracolumbar division of the autonomic nervous system. Sympathetic preganglionic fibers originate in neurons of the intermediolateral column of the spinal cord and project to the paravertebral and prevertebral ganglia, which in turn project to target organs. The sympathetic nervous system mediates the body's response to stressful situations, i.e., the fight or flight reactions. It often acts reciprocally to the parasympathetic system.	Nervous System, Sympathetic,Nervous Systems, Sympathetic,Sympathetic Nervous Systems,System, Sympathetic Nervous,Systems, Sympathetic Nervous
D014661	Vasoconstriction	The physiological narrowing of BLOOD VESSELS by contraction of the VASCULAR SMOOTH MUSCLE.	Vasoconstrictions
D014662	Vasoconstrictor Agents	Drugs used to cause constriction of the blood vessels.	Vasoactive Agonist,Vasoactive Agonists,Vasoconstrictor,Vasoconstrictor Agent,Vasoconstrictor Drug,Vasopressor Agent,Vasopressor Agents,Vasoconstrictor Drugs,Vasoconstrictors,Agent, Vasoconstrictor,Agent, Vasopressor,Agents, Vasoconstrictor,Agents, Vasopressor,Agonist, Vasoactive,Agonists, Vasoactive,Drug, Vasoconstrictor,Drugs, Vasoconstrictor
D015431	Weight Loss	Decrease in existing BODY WEIGHT.	Weight Reduction,Loss, Weight,Losses, Weight,Reduction, Weight,Reductions, Weight,Weight Losses,Weight Reductions