title: Investigation of blood flow and the effect of vasoactive substances in cutaneous blood vessels of Xenopus laevis.
abstract: In the present study, a preparation of frog skin was presented, which can be used to demonstrate the basic concepts of blood flow regulation in a very clear and attractive way to high school and university students. In a freshly euthanized Xenopus, a patch of abdominal skin was exposed from the internal side and viewed with a USB microscope while it remained connected to a functioning circulatory system. In this way, it was possible to obtain sharp images of arteries and veins and to visualize blood flow. This allows students to learn about the functional differences between arteries and veins and about the complexity of hemodynamics as well as the particularities of the amphibian pulmocutaneous circulation. Students can then quantitatively estimate the effect of norepinephrine and epinephrine on the diameter of blood vessels by simply superfusing the skin patch with a series of solutions of the two substances. They can also test the effect of α-adrenergic receptor blockers, used to treat high blood pressure, on the norepinephrine-induced muscle tonus of blood vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Aleš
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Škorjanc
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia gregor.belusic@bf.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Belušič
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects*; D032882:Comprehension; D003479:Curriculum; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007858:Learning; D008853:Microscopy; D010827:Physiology / Q000193:education*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects*; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents
keywords: blood flow; blood vessels; cutaneous circulation; frog; vasoconstriction