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Co‐ordination of contractile activity in guinea‐pig mesenteric lymphatics.
Author(s) -
Crowe M J,
von der Weid P Y,
Brock J A,
Van Helden D F
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.1997.sp022013
Subject(s) - guinea pig , anatomy , constriction , lymphatic system , contraction (grammar) , smooth muscle , mesentery , electrophysiology , biology , ordination , chemistry , endocrinology , physiology , ecology , immunology
1. Intraluminally perfused lymphatic vessels from the mesentery of the guinea‐pig were examined in vitro to investigate their contractile activity and the co‐ordination of this activity between adjacent lymphangions. 2. Lymphangions constricted at fairly regular intervals and exhibited ‘refractory’ periods of up to 3 s during which constrictions did not occur. 3. The contractile activity of adjacent lymphangions was highly co‐ordinated. 4. The smooth muscle was found to be continuous between the adjacent lymphangions for the majority of valve regions examined morphologically (52 of 63 preparations). 5. Mechanical and electrical coupling between adjacent lymphangions was indicated, as some lymphangions underwent transient dilatations just prior to constriction, whereas direct electrophysiological measurements showed that the smooth muscle of most adjacent lymphangions was electrically coupled across the valve (15 out of 20 pairs of lymphangions). 6. It is concluded that perfused lymphangions of guinea‐pig mesenteric lymphatic vessels rhythmically constrict, with the contractile activity of adjacent lymphangions highly co‐ordinated. The findings also indicate that transmission of both mechanical and electrical signals between the adjacent lymphangions contribute to the co‐ordination of their contractile activity.