Regulation of peripheral vascular function

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The overall goal of this research program is to understand the integration of function of the peripheral vasculature and the tissue in which it resides.  A close coupling exists between tissue metabolism and blood flow in many tissues of the body (e.g. brain, heart, skeletal muscle).  Adequate blood flow is necessary to maintain the healthy working environment to avoid fatigue and damage.  Although much is known about central vascular control surprisingly little is known about the interrelationship between the microvasculature and the surrounding tissue which maintains a proper cellular environment.  The proposed studies will use skeletal muscle and its associated microvasculature to study the relationship between tissue function and peripheral vascular function.  Skeletal muscle is an ideal tissue in which to study this relationship because its metabolic rate can be easily changed through a large range. Blood flow and muscle metabolism are related but the nature of this relationship, how this relationship changes with changes in muscle activity and how it change over time are unclear.  We have completed studies which have started to define which parameters of contraction are most important in determining the vasodilatory response necessary to increase blood flow.  We now propose experiments continue to define the important dilatory aspects of contraction as well as begin to identify the vasodilator substances used by the muscle to communicate with the vasculature to cause this vasodilation.   This work will contribute to the understanding of the communication and coordination between skeletal muscle cells and the vasculature that results in the tight coupling between blood flow and exercise.  Work on skeletal muscle will help in our understanding of how other tissues maintain a normal healthy working environment.  Understanding tissue function under normal conditions is the first step in maintaining tissue health, preventing tissue damage and preventing and treating disease.