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Spatial Temporal Analysis of Fieldwise Flow in Microvasculature
Published on: November 18, 2019
Blood vessel adaptation with fluctuations in capillary flow distribution
Dan Hu1, David Cai, Aaditya V Rangan
1Department of Mathematics, MOE-LSC, and Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. hudan80@sjtu.edu.cn
Plos One
|October 3, 2012
Summary
Blood vessel adaptation is stabilized by metabolic flow regulation, specifically capillary flow fluctuations. This model explains micro-vessel rarefaction, a factor in hypertension.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Biomathematics
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Blood vessel structures adapt to metabolic demands throughout life.
- Wall shear stress and decreasing luminal diameter tendencies influence vessel adaptation.
- Previous models based solely on these factors exhibit instability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a minimal adaptation model for vessel luminal diameters.
- To investigate the role of metabolic flow regulation, including capillary flow fluctuations, in vessel adaptation.
- To understand the origin of micro-vessel rarefaction and its link to hypertension.
Main Methods:
- Developed a minimal adaptation model for vessel luminal diameters.
- Incorporated metabolic flow regulation, wall shear stress, and decreasing luminal diameter tendencies.
- Modeled capillary flow fluctuations as a switch between open and close states.
Main Results:
- Vessel adaptation driven by wall shear stress is stabilized by sensitive response of open time ratio to capillary flows.
- Micro-vessel rarefaction was observed in simulations with decreased capillary flow open time ratio.
- The model suggests a potential origin for micro-vessel rarefaction.
Conclusions:
- Metabolic flow regulation, particularly capillary flow dynamics, is crucial for stabilizing blood vessel adaptation.
- Fluctuations in capillary flow may explain the phenomenon of micro-vessel rarefaction.
- This mechanism could provide insight into the development of hypertension.
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