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Inward Remodeling Follows Chronic Vasoconstriction in Isolated Resistance Arteries
Erik N.T.P. Bakker^a, Esther T. van der Meulen^a, Bernard M. van den Berg^a, Vincent Everts^b, Jos A.E. Spaan^a, Ed VanBavel^a

Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam,
^aDepartment of Medical Physics and Cardiovascular Research Institute Amsterdam (CRIA),
^bDepartment of Cell Biology and Histology and Department of Periodontology, Academic Center for Dentistry, Amsterdam,The Netherlands

Address of Corresponding Author

J Vasc Res 2002;39:12-20 (DOI: 10.1159/000048989)

  Key Words

• Rat
• Resistance arteries
• Remodeling
• Vasoconstriction

  Abstract

The hypothesis was tested that chronic vasoconstriction is followed by a structural reduction in lumen diameter, measured at full dilation. An in vitro model of pressurized rat skeletal muscle arterioles was used. During a 3-day experimental period, constriction of active vessels was achieved with fetal calf serum or endothelin-1 (ET-1). Maximal dilation revealed inward remodeling from 179 ± 6.5 µm lumen diameter on day 0 to 151 ± 6.3 µm on day 3 at 75 mm Hg in vessels incubated with serum (n = 8). Similarly, ET-1 induced inward remodeling from 182 ± 5.2 to 164 ± 3.7 µm (n = 6). When constriction during organoid culture was inhibited with papaverin or verapamil, inward remodeling was fully prevented: 184 ± 6.3 to 184 ± 5.8 µm for papaverin (n = 6) and 174 ± 5.5 to 177 ± 7.4 µm for verapamil (n = 6). A chronic reduction in diameter without tone was achieved in vessels that were kept at a low pressure (2-5 mm Hg; n = 6). Here, no remodeling was found, thereby ruling out that a chronic reduction in diameter alone is sufficient for inward remodeling. These data show that a persistent active reduction in lumen diameter is followed by inward remodeling of arterioles.

Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Ed VanBavel
Academic Medical Center, Department of Medical Physics
PO Box 22700
NL-1100 DE Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Tel. +31 20 5665203, Fax +31 20 6917233, E-Mail e.vanbavel@amc.uva.nl

  Article Information

Received: Received: June 25, 2001
Accepted after revision: October 1, 2001
Number of Print Pages : 9
Number of Figures : 6, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 16