[Differentiated remodeling changes of medium-sized arteries from different body parts in tail-suspended rats and...

Objective. The aim of the present study was to test whether medium-sized arteries in different body parts are differentially directed to achieve stimulus-specific remodeling to adapt local hemodynamic changes induced by tail-suspension, and to examine whether these structural changes are reversible. Method. Morphological changes of femoral, anterior tibial, common carotid, and basilar arteries from 4 wk tail-suspended (SUS-4), 1 wk recovered (REC-1), and control (CON) rats were studied using van Gieson-Orcein staining method. Result. For the hindquarter arteries, like the femoral and anterior tibial arteries, the lumen diameter (d) and medial tissue area (A) of SUS-4 group were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01) as compared with that of CON group, and that of REC-1 group were not fully recovered though the differences were not significant. With respect to arteries in the neck region and the brain, the remodeling changes were just in an opposite direction. In SUS-4 group, the d and A of both common carotid and basilar arteries were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01) as compared with that of CON, and not fully restored after 1 wk recovery. Conclusion. The structures of medium-sized arteries in different body parts remodel differentially in response to local hemodynamic changes during simulated weightlessness and these changes were reversible.