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Differences between effects of hypoxia on rabbit aorta and pulmonary artery

Chen Linghong, Zhou Zhaonian

Shanghai Institute of Physiology, Chinese Academy of Science. Shanghai 200031, China

Abstract

The difference of morphological injury between rabbit aorta and pulmonny artery was compared after the animal was exposed to the altitude 5 km (PO_(2)=10.8 kPa) for 24 h. Hypoxia caused subendothelial edema, increased vacuoles and injured mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulums in both kinds of endothelial cells. The impairment of pulmonary artery was obviously more severe than aorta and its smooth muscle cells were also affected. Forthermore, the exposure increased mitochondria in pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Bubbled with a mixture air of 95% N_(2)-5% CO_(2) (Po_(2)=4 kPa) led to an increase of pulmonary in tension, while hypoxia to the same extent induced aorta relaxation. These results indicate that hypoxia produces the differential effects on these two kinds of vessels, providing a possible explanation for the preduction of hypxic pulmonary hypertension.

Key words: Rabbit;aorta;Pulmonary artery;Hypoxia;Morphology;Tension

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Citing This Article：

Chen Linghong, Zhou Zhaonian. Differences between effects of hypoxia on rabbit aorta and pulmonary artery. Acta Physiol Sin 1997; 49 (5): (in Chinese with English abstract).