title: Intramyocardial mechanical states: vessel-interstitium-muscle interface.
abstract: The intramural blood vessels and fluid-filled interstitial space form a hydraulic continuum enmeshed by myocardial muscle layers and collagen matrix. Coronary circulation was found to be strongly influenced by passive and active properties of the muscle surrounding the coronary microvasculature. Selective remodeling of the extracellular collagen-matrix and partial uncoupling of the intramyocardial structure(s) cause profound functional alterations in the coronary circulation and interstitial compartment fluid-dynamics. Mechanical impediment to coronary inflow resides in the muscle fiber-interstitium-microvessel interface, functioning independently of the generated chamber pressure conditions.
authors.affiliation: Likoff Cardiovascular Institute, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Philadelphia, PA 19102.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kresh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003094:Collagen / Q000502:physiology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000502:physiology*; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D011312:Pressure; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen