Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
1992-3-25
pubmed:abstractText
1. The mechanical and pharmacological properties of small pulmonary arteries (100-300 microns normalized lumen diameter) were directly compared with those of the left main pulmonary artery (1-2 mm) from the rat. The active and passive length-tension characteristics and responses to a variety of agonists and antagonists were dependent on arterial diameter. 2. Maximum contractile function was obtained in both groups of vessels when stretched so as to give an equivalent transmural pressure of 30 mmHg. This is substantially lower than that found for systemic vessels, and reflects the normal low pulmonary arterial pressure. 3. Noradrenaline was a powerful vasoconstrictor in large but not small pulmonary arteries (P less than 0.001). In contrast, bradykinin produced a significantly greater response in the small arteries (P less than 0.001). In comparison with large pulmonary arteries, small arteries were more sensitive to noradrenaline (P less than 0.05) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (P less than 0.001), less sensitive to endothelin-1 (P less than 0.001) and had the same sensitivity to prostaglandin F2 alpha. 4. The mechanism that maintains the low arterial tone of the pulmonary circulation is unknown, but it may involve the release of relaxing factors from the endothelium. In this preparation, basal resting tone could not be demonstrated in either large or small arteries. 5. Acetylcholine-induced relaxation of pre-contracted pulmonary arteries was reduced or absent in the small artery, despite histological evidence of an intact endothelium. In large arteries pre-contracted with prostaglandin F2 alpha, acetylcholine (100 mumol/l) caused 88.2% relaxation compared with 25.2% in the small artery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
0143-5221
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
82
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
55-62
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1992
pubmed:articleTitle
A comparison of the pharmacological and mechanical properties in vitro of large and small pulmonary arteries of the rat.
pubmed:affiliation
Respiratory Research Laboratory, Division of Medicine, UMDS (St Thomas' Campus), London, U.K.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Comparative Study