Related Experiment Videos
Pulsatile pressure and flow in the skeletal muscle microcirculation
S Y Lee1, G W Schmid-Schönbein
1Department of AMES-Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
Journal of Biomechanical Engineering
|November 1, 1990
Summary
Time-dependent pressure and flow variations occur in rat skeletal muscle microcirculation. Vessel distensibility is crucial for these phenomena, impacting normal muscle perfusion.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Biophysics
- Microcirculation
Background:
- Blood flow in the rat skeletal muscle microcirculation exhibits low Reynolds and Womersley numbers, suggesting negligible inertia.
- Despite low inertia, time-dependent pressure and flow variations are observed, including arterial flow overshoot and pressure-flow hysteresis.
- Arterial and venous flows exhibit different time courses during transient states.
Purpose of the Study:
- To theoretically analyze time-dependent microvascular flow phenomena in rat skeletal muscle.
- To investigate the role of vessel distensibility and viscoelasticity in microvascular transients.
- To compare theoretical predictions with in-vivo pressure-flow data.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of a microvessel model with distensible, viscoelastic walls and viscous flow.
- Application of time-variant arterial pressures to the theoretical model.
- In-vivo pressure-flow measurements in dilated rat gracilis muscle.
Main Results:
- Vessel distensibility significantly influences time-dependent microvascular flow.
- Theoretical predictions for transient pressure and flow dynamics align with in-vivo data.
- Hemodynamic impedances in the skeletal muscle microcirculation were characterized.
Conclusions:
- Vessel distensibility is physiologically important for normal muscle perfusion dynamics.
- The theoretical model accurately captures transient microvascular flow behavior.
- Understanding these hemodynamics is key to comprehending skeletal muscle perfusion.