title: A comparison of contractile function in large and small pulmonary arterial vessels of the rat.
abstract: The contractile function of rat pulmonary arterial vessels, ranging in internal diameter from 100 to 2000 microns, was studied in vitro using a small vessel myograph. It was found that vessels with a diameter of 200-400 microns produced considerably more force for a given intervention than those either smaller (less than 100-2000 microns) or larger (400-2000 microns). It is suggested that these vessels may play an important role in the generation of pulmonary vascular resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, United Medical School, London.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Twort
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin