title: Effects of hypoxia on isolated intrapulmonary arteries from the sheep.
abstract: The effects of hypoxia on contraction of sheep pulmonary artery rings (large = 2.2-4.1 mm diameter, small = 0.32-0.64 mm diameter) has been investigated following precontraction or with the artery rings set at their optimal resting force. Hypoxia (PO2 4 mmHg) caused a marked contraction of pulmonary artery rings precontracted with 5-HT at its EC85 (small arteries 40 +/- 8 g cm-2) but not when precontracted with KCl. At optimal resting force hypoxia caused a small contraction (small arteries 11 +/- 2 g cm-2). Larger artery rings gave a smaller contraction in response to hypoxia at optimal resting force than did small artery rings (2 +/- 0.2 g cm-2 at PO2 = 4 mmHg). Large, unlike the small, artery rings did not contract in response to hypoxia when precontracted with 5-HT at its EC35. Lowering the PO2 to 40 mmHg caused contraction in arteries precontracted with 5-HT at its EC85 but not in arteries at their optimal resting force. Removal of the endothelium abolished all hypoxia-induced contractile responses in sheep pulmonary artery rings. Hypoxia reversibly abolished acetylcholine-induced relaxation and augmented the 5-HT contraction (206 +/- 28 to 255 +/- 34 g cm-2) in small rings. It is concluded that hypoxia may produce contraction in sheep pulmonary artery rings at least, in part, by reducing the output of vasodilator mediators from the endothelium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Demiryurek
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wadsworth
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kane
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000633:toxicity*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000187:drug effects; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011189:Potassium Chloride; D000109:Acetylcholine; D010100:Oxygen