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Neurovascular alignment in mouse diaphragm muscle
Author(s) -
Correa Diego,
Segal Steven S.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a482-b
Subject(s) - neurovascular bundle , arteriole , anatomy , diaphragm (acoustics) , blood flow , chemistry , medicine , microcirculation , physics , acoustics , loudspeaker
Blood flow to the diaphragm muscle is integral to oxygen uptake. With multiple vascular inputs and extensive branching of the phrenic nerve, we tested whether nerve branches align with microvascular branches. Following vascular casting (Microfil), intact diaphragms of male C57Bl/6 and CD‐1 mice (4 ea; 3 mo) were excised, pinned at in situ dimensions, motor axons were stained (Sudan B black), arteriolar and nerve networks were digitized at 173X (Neurolucida), and neurovascular alignment (NVA) was evaluated (mean ± SD) for entire muscles, hemi‐diaphragms, and costal vs. crural regions. Overall, NVA was similar between mice and muscle regions (P>0.1). Of total nerve length (C57Bl/6, 70±13 mm; CD‐1, 100±29 mm), 80±14% and 67±10% was ≤ 250 μm from the nearest arteriole, respectively, with 84±2% and 80±10% associated with arterioles of diameter ≤ 45 μm. Respective D50 (distance to nearest arteriole encompassing 50% of total nerve length) was 155±30 μm and 199±22 μm. When nerve networks were repositioned randomly within muscle borders, D50 nearly doubled (P<0.05) to 286±77 μm and 386±64 μm. We suggest that the distribution of arterioles with motor nerves is not random in mouse diaphragm muscle. (HL56786, HL41026)