A Technique for Studying Physiologically Induced Conducted Responses In-Situ

Abstract

Investigators have demonstrated that there is communication of signals between neighboring segments of the vasculature (12). Applying small amounts of certain vasomotor substances such as acetylcholine or αl-adrenergic receptor agonists, causes vasomotor responses both at the site of application and at locations remote from the site of application (Fig. 1). These vasomotor responses are assumed to be conducted along the vessel wall through gap junction communication. The cell type actually conducting the signal may be endothelium or smooth muscle and the signal has a length constant of about 1.9 mm. This electrotonic communication is being proposed as a pathway that will permit different regions of the vasculature to communicate longitudinally without a role for a neural network. If this communication is shown to be significant then, in essence, any stimulus that affects the membrane potential of the cells in the vessel wall could potentially cause a change in the diameter of neighboring arteriolar segments.