The Effect of Hypoxia on the Pulmonary Microcirculation.

Abstract

A technique designed to permit direct microscopic observation via a transparent window implanted in the chest wall of dogs of the pulmonary capillaries in vivo has been developed. Cine- and photomicrographic techniques have been developed to permit high speed, high resolution study of the pulmonary microcirculation. These systems have been designed to provide information related to the following: (1) The velocity of the erythrocytes as they cross the alveolar capillary net to determine contact time between oxygen and hemoglobin, (2) the orientation of the erythrocytes in the capillaries to determine the intracapillary diffusion distance of molecular oxygen; (3) the site of action of the hypoxic vasopressor response, and; (4) the quantitation of the oxyhemoglobin gradient along the microcirculation to determine (a) the boundaries of the oxygen uptake process, (b) the shape of the uptake curve, and (c) how the curve and boundaries are affected by stress, e.g. hypoxemia or exercise.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 30, 1968
Accession Number
ADA955147

Entities

People

  • Wiltz W. Wagner Jr

Organizations

  • University of Colorado Boulder

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Anatomy
  • Biological Sciences
  • Blood
  • Boundaries
  • Cardiovascular System
  • Diffusion
  • Erythrocytes
  • Hemoglobin
  • High Resolution
  • Microvessels
  • Observation
  • Orientation (Direction)
  • Oxygenation

Readers

  • Cardiovascular Physiology