Systemic arteries in experimental hypoxia in rats.
Rats were exposed to hypoxia by placing them in a tank with a continuous flow of 11 per cent. oxygen and 89 per cent. nitrogen for 2 to 4 weeks. The medial thickness of intrahepatic, intramyocardial coronary and bronchial arteries was measured in six hypoxic rats and compared to those in six control rats. It was found that the media of hypoxic rats was significantly thinner than that of control rats. The results indicate that hypoxemia, probably by inducing relaxation of the arterial smooth muscle, causes atrophy and/or dilatation of the vessels. It was observed also that bronchial arteries in hypoxic as well as in control rats had a thinner media than other systemic arteries.
D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D001981:Bronchial Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000473:pathology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000473:pathology*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats