Hypertension II: Hypertension and Vascular Control

Jeff C. Falcone
jcfalc01@gwise.louisville.edu

Dear Colleague: �We utilize a small glass pipette which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the arteriole. �The pipette is neither heat polished nor siliconized thereby maintaining a somewhat slight abrasiveness. �We then under a dissecting microscope, placed the arteriole under a slight negative pressure (-5 cmH2O). �Then very carefully we advanced the denuding pipette towards the other pipette while holding the edge of the untied vessel with microfine forceps. �The pipette was advanced 3 to 5 times and then reattached to the pipette. �The pipettes must obviously be in the same plane and alignment to avoid damaging the vessel. �We have confirmed this technique by inspecting TEM longitudinal sections - especially taken from the mid point of the vessel where we make our measurements. �The endothelial layer is gone but the basement membrane remains intact. �Pharmacological endothelium independent agents have not significantly different effects before or after the procedure. �Ach dilatory responses are lost after the denudation technique. �The technique is not simple and takes great steadiness in the actual application. �There are some days when even I puncture or slit the vessel while attempting the denudation - obviously those vessels are discarded from our experimental sample.