Biomaterial Database

Alterations in skeletal muscle microcirculation of head-down tilted rats. 1996

B Stepke, and J T Fleming, and I G Joshua, and X J Musacchia

Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Missouri, Columbia 65202, USA.

The head-down tilted whole body suspended (HDT/WBS) rat is recognized as a model that reproduces many of the responses seen during exposure to microgravity including an increase in systemic blood pressure. Functional alterations of microscopic blood vessels (arterioles) in skeletal muscle (cremaster muscle) were assessed for their role in the observed elevations of blood pressure associated with HDT/WBS. Arteriolar baseline diameters, vasoconstrictor responses to norepinephrine and vasodilation to nitroprusside were assessed in control rats, rats suspended for 7 or 14 days, and rats allowed to recover for 1 day after 7 days of HDT/WBS. Using in vivo videomicroscopy, neither baseline diameters nor ability to dilate were altered by HDT/WBS. Maximum vasoconstriction to norepinephrine was significantly greater in arterioles of hypertensive 14 day HDT/WBS rats. This study of the intact microvasculature of skeletal muscle reveals an elevated contractility of arterioles to norepinephrine in suspended rats, and suggests that an elevated peripheral resistance in skeletal muscle may contribute to the increase in blood pressures among animals subjected to HDT/WBS.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008833	Microcirculation	The circulation of the BLOOD through the MICROVASCULAR NETWORK.	Microvascular Blood Flow,Microvascular Circulation,Blood Flow, Microvascular,Circulation, Microvascular,Flow, Microvascular Blood,Microvascular Blood Flows,Microvascular Circulations
D009599	Nitroprusside	A powerful vasodilator used in emergencies to lower blood pressure or to improve cardiac function. It is also an indicator for free sulfhydryl groups in proteins.	Nitroferricyanide,Sodium Nitroprusside,Cyanonitrosylferrate,Ketostix,Naniprus,Nipride,Nipruton,Nitriate,Nitropress,Nitroprussiat Fides,Nitroprusside, Disodium Salt,Nitroprusside, Disodium Salt, Dihydrate,Disodium Salt Nitroprusside,Nitroprusside, Sodium
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
D001794	Blood Pressure	PRESSURE of the BLOOD on the ARTERIES and other BLOOD VESSELS.	Systolic Pressure,Diastolic Pressure,Pulse Pressure,Pressure, Blood,Pressure, Diastolic,Pressure, Pulse,Pressure, Systolic,Pressures, Systolic
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
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
D001160	Arterioles	The smallest divisions of the arteries located between the muscular arteries and the capillaries.	Arteriole
D014655	Vascular Resistance	The force that opposes the flow of BLOOD through a vascular bed. It is equal to the difference in BLOOD PRESSURE across the vascular bed divided by the CARDIAC OUTPUT.	Peripheral Resistance,Total Peripheral Resistance,Pulmonary Vascular Resistance,Systemic Vascular Resistance,Peripheral Resistance, Total,Resistance, Peripheral,Resistance, Pulmonary Vascular,Resistance, Systemic Vascular,Resistance, Total Peripheral,Resistance, Vascular,Vascular Resistance, Pulmonary,Vascular Resistance, Systemic
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