Translate this page to:
Choose Language…
In JoVE (1)
Other Publications (3)
Articles by Flavia M. Souza-Smith in JoVE
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Measurement of Cytosolic Ca2+ in Isolated Contractile Lymphatics
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
We introduce an approach to evaluate the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in isolated lymphatics to study Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-sensitizing mechanisms of lymphatic smooth muscle contraction.
Other articles by Flavia M. Souza-Smith on PubMed
Adaptation of Mesenteric Collecting Lymphatic Pump Function Following Acute Alcohol Intoxication
Acute alcohol intoxication increases intestinal lymph flow by unknown mechanisms, potentially impacting mucosal immunity. We tested the hypothesis that enhanced intrinsic pump function of mesenteric lymphatics contributes to increased intestinal lymph flow during alcohol intoxication.
Coronary Arterioles in Type 2 Diabetic (db/db) Mice Undergo a Distinct Pattern of Remodeling Associated with Decreased Vessel Stiffness
Little is known about the impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) on coronary arteriole remodeling. The aim of this study was to determine the mechanisms that underlie coronary arteriole structural remodeling in type 2 diabetic (db/db) mice. Passive structural properties of septal coronary arterioles isolated from 12- to 16-week-old diabetic db/db and control mice were assessed by pressure myography. Coronary arterioles from 12-week-old db/db mice were structurally similar to age-matched controls. By 16 weeks of age, coronary wall thickness was increased in db/db arterioles (p < 0.01), while luminal diameter was reduced (control: 118 ± 5 μm; db/db: 102 ± 4 μm, p < 0.05), augmenting the wall-to-lumen ratio by 58% (control: 5.9 ± 0.6; db/db: 9.5 ± 0.4, p < 0.001). Inward hypertrophic remodeling was accompanied by a 56% decrease in incremental elastic modulus (p < 0.05, indicating decreased vessel coronary wall stiffness) and a ~30% reduction in coronary flow reserve (CFR) in diabetic mice. Interestingly, aortic pulse wave velocity and femoral artery incremental elastic modulus were increased (p < 0.05) in db/db mice, indicating macrovascular stiffness. Molecular tissue analysis revealed increased elastin-to-collagen ratio in diabetic coronaries when compared to control and a decrease in the same ratio in the diabetic aortas. These data show that coronary arterioles isolated from type 2 diabetic mice undergo inward hypertrophic remodeling associated with decreased stiffness and increased elastin-to-collagen ratio which results in a decreased CFR. This study suggests that coronary microvessels undergo a different pattern of remodeling from macrovessels in type 2 DM.
Mesenteric Resistance Arteries in Type 2 Diabetic Db/db Mice Undergo Outward Remodeling
Resistance vessel remodeling is controlled by myriad of hemodynamic and neurohormonal factors. This study characterized structural and molecular remodeling in mesenteric resistance arteries (MRAs) in diabetic (db/db) and control (Db/db) mice.
