Capillaries and arterioles are electrically coupled in hamster cheek pouch

Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Surgery, and Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908 In this report we demonstrate electrical communication in the microcirculation between arterioles and capillary networks in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology 1998-10, Vol.275 (4), p.H1489-H1496
Main Authors: Beach, James M, McGahren, Eugene D, Duling, Brian R
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Surgery, and Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908 In this report we demonstrate electrical communication in the microcirculation between arterioles and capillary networks in situ. Microvessel networks in the hamster cheek pouch, which included capillaries and their feeding arterioles, were labeled with the voltage-sensitive dye di-8-ANEPPS by intraluminal perfusion through a micropipette. Pulses of 140 mM potassium solution were applied by pressure ejection from micropipettes positioned on arterioles several hundred micrometers upstream from capillaries. Potassium caused membrane potential changes of 3-11 mV in capillary segments up to 1,200 µm distal to the stimulation site, with time delays of
ISSN:0363-6135
1522-1539
DOI:10.1152/ajpheart.1998.275.4.h1489