Microvascular control in intestinal mucosa of normal and hemorrhaged rats

The mucosal microcirculation in innervated and denervated small intestine was studied using anesthetized rats. Denervation did not cause significant (P greater than 0.05) diameter changes in the precapillary vasculature; however, venules did constrict significantly. These results indicate minimum neural control in the precapillary vasculature during the resting state. The innervated precapillary vasculature constricted during both the carotid occlusion reflex and hemorrhagic hypotension. The diameter of the denervated precapillary vasculature was unchanged during the carotid occlusion reflex and dilated during hemorrhage. The responses of innervated and denervated precapillary vasculatures were attributed to increased neural activity and autoregulatory mechanisms, respectively. Neither innervated nor denervated venules responded during the carotid occlusion reflex. During hemorrhage, however, innervated venules constricted and denervated vessels dilated. The vasoconstriction of the innervated vasculature during hemorrhage contributed to a stoppage of blood and epithelial detachment; these responses did not occur in the dilated, denervated vasculature. Therefore, neural vasoconstriction, qualitatively similar to that in normal animals during the baroreceptor reflex, is a contributing cause to the vascular and tissue impairment in the intestinal mucosa during hemorrhage.