The coronary capillary flow is analyzed theoretically based on continuum mechanics. The capillary is a long, elastic, and permeable vessel loaded externally by tissue pressure, and it is subject to possible periodic length changes, together with adjacent myocytes. Capillary flow is driven by arteriolar-venular pressure difference. Ultrafiltration due to transmural hydrostatic and osmotic gradie...

A theoretical model is developed to investigate the influence of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) on oxygen transport in capillary-size vessels. A discrete cell model is presented with red blood cells (RBCs) represented in their realistic parachute shape flowing in a single file through a capillary. The model includes the free and Hb-facilitated transport of O2 and Hb-O2 kinetics in the...

Brain capillary endothelial cells form a blood-brain barrier (BBB) that appears to play a role in fluid and ion homeostasis in brain. One important transport system that may be involved in this regulatory function is the Na+, K+-ATPase that was previously demonstrated to be present in isolated brain capillaries. The goal of the present study was to identify additional Na+ transport systems in b...

The effects of /3-adrenergic blockade on cardiac transcapillary exchange were examined at rest and during sympathetic stimulation. Multiple indicator dilution experiments were carried out in closed-chest anesthetized dogs at rest and during carotid occlusion, either under basal conditions or after fJ-adrenergic blockade with alprenolol. jB-Adrenergic blockade at rest had no effect on coronary f...

Stefan A. Tschanz, MD, Institute of Anatomy, Bühlstrasse 26, CH-3000 Beme 9 (Switzerland) In human lung development we distinguish a preand a postnatal period. After the formation of the lung diverticulum from the foregut at gestation day 26, the further development can be subdivided into 5 stages [1]. In the pseiidoglandular stage (prenatal weeks 5-17) the lung bud grows and divides dichoto-mo...

Accepted for publication 14 March 1996. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease characterised by an increased secretion of normal extracellular matrix proteins in mesenchymal tissue, and by widespread morphofunctional capillary abnormalities.' 2 Most of the clinical features of SSc are clearly related to vascular lesions; moreover, a diffuse microangiopathy is a prominent featur...