Spontaneous, rhythmical contractions, or vasomotion, can be recorded from cerebral vessels under both normal physiological and pathophysiological conditions. We investigated the cellular mechanisms underlying vasomoti...Spontaneous, rhythmical contractions, or vasomotion, can be recorded from cerebral vessels under both normal physiological and pathophysiological conditions. We investigated the cellular mechanisms underlying vasomotion in the cerebral basilar artery （BA） of Wistar rats. Pressure myograph video microscopy was used to study the changes in cerebral artery vessel diameter. The main results of this study were as follows： （1） The diameters of BA and middle cerebral artery （MCA） were 314.5±15.7 μm （n=15） and 233.3±10.1 μm （n=12） at 10 mmHg working pressure （P〈0.05）, respectively. Pressure-induced vasomotion occurred in BA （22/28, 78.6%）, but not in MCA （4/31, 12.9%） from 0 to 70 mmHg working pressure. As is typical for vasomotion, the contractile phase of the response was more rapid than the relaxation phase; （2） The frequency of vasomotion response and the diameter were gradually increased in BA from 0 to 70 mmHg working pressure. The amplitude of the rhythmic con- tractions was relatively constant once stable conditions were achieved. The frequency of contractions was variable and the highest value was 16.7±4.7 （n=13） per 10 min at 60 mmHg working pressure; （3） The pressure-induced vasomotion of the isolated BA was attenuated by nifedipine, NFA, 181]-GA, TEA or in Ca2＋-free medium. Nifedipine, NFA, 18^-GA or Ca2＋-free medium not only dampened vasomotion, but also kept BA in relaxation state. In contrasts, TEA kept BA in contraction state. These results sug- gest that the pressure-induced vasomotion of the isolated BA results from an interaction between Ca2＋-activated C1- channels （CaCCs） currents and Kca currents. We hypothesize that vasomotion of BA depends on the depolarizing of the vascular smooth muscle cells （VSMCs） to activate CaCCs. Depolarization in turn activates voltage-dependent Ca2＋ channels, synchronizing contractions of adjacent cells through influx of extracellular calcium and the flow of calcium through gap junctions. Subsequent calcium-induced calcium release from ryanodine-sensitive stores activates Kca channels and hyperpo- larizes VSMCs, which provides a negative feedback loop for regenerating the contractile cycle.展开更多
基金supported by grants from National Basic Research Program of China(No.2012CB52660000)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81000411,No.31100829,and No.31260247)
文摘Spontaneous, rhythmical contractions, or vasomotion, can be recorded from cerebral vessels under both normal physiological and pathophysiological conditions. We investigated the cellular mechanisms underlying vasomotion in the cerebral basilar artery （BA） of Wistar rats. Pressure myograph video microscopy was used to study the changes in cerebral artery vessel diameter. The main results of this study were as follows： （1） The diameters of BA and middle cerebral artery （MCA） were 314.5±15.7 μm （n=15） and 233.3±10.1 μm （n=12） at 10 mmHg working pressure （P〈0.05）, respectively. Pressure-induced vasomotion occurred in BA （22/28, 78.6%）, but not in MCA （4/31, 12.9%） from 0 to 70 mmHg working pressure. As is typical for vasomotion, the contractile phase of the response was more rapid than the relaxation phase; （2） The frequency of vasomotion response and the diameter were gradually increased in BA from 0 to 70 mmHg working pressure. The amplitude of the rhythmic con- tractions was relatively constant once stable conditions were achieved. The frequency of contractions was variable and the highest value was 16.7±4.7 （n=13） per 10 min at 60 mmHg working pressure; （3） The pressure-induced vasomotion of the isolated BA was attenuated by nifedipine, NFA, 181]-GA, TEA or in Ca2＋-free medium. Nifedipine, NFA, 18^-GA or Ca2＋-free medium not only dampened vasomotion, but also kept BA in relaxation state. In contrasts, TEA kept BA in contraction state. These results sug- gest that the pressure-induced vasomotion of the isolated BA results from an interaction between Ca2＋-activated C1- channels （CaCCs） currents and Kca currents. We hypothesize that vasomotion of BA depends on the depolarizing of the vascular smooth muscle cells （VSMCs） to activate CaCCs. Depolarization in turn activates voltage-dependent Ca2＋ channels, synchronizing contractions of adjacent cells through influx of extracellular calcium and the flow of calcium through gap junctions. Subsequent calcium-induced calcium release from ryanodine-sensitive stores activates Kca channels and hyperpo- larizes VSMCs, which provides a negative feedback loop for regenerating the contractile cycle.
