Length-dependent sensitivity at lengths greater than Lmax in vascular smooth muscle

Previous work has shown that vascular smooth muscle sensitivity depends on muscle length (arterial circumference) at lengths equal to and less than that for maximum active force (Lmax). In the present study dose-response curves were obtained from dog anterior tibial artery rings at lengths equal to or longer than Lmax. The curves were compared with dose-response curves obtained at lengths less than Lmax. The agonist concentration for half maximal response (ED50) was determined by graphical estimation and by calculation from a best-fit curve. The results show that with norepinephrine (NE) stimulation 1) ED50 decreased significantly at each step when the rings were stretched from Lmax to 1.15 Lmax and then to 1.30 Lmax; 2) ED50 increased significantly when length was decreased from 1.15 to 1.00 Lmax; 3) ED50 decreased significantly at each step when the rings were stretched from 0.70 Lmax to Lmax and then to 1.30 Lmax; and 4) for NE concentration greater than the ED50 at Lmax, active stress was significantly higher at Lmax than at 0.70 Lmax or 1.30 Lmax. For an NE concentration less than the ED50 at Lmax, the active stress at 1.30 Lmax was higher than the active stress at Lmax and at 0.70 Lmax. The results show that sensitivity of vascular smooth muscle continually increases with stretch and does not have a maximum at the length for maximum active force.