🔗 Full Open Access manuscript: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
👇 Curious to hear more about #PrecapillarySphincters?
Check out these threads about the subject:
Characterization: x.com/SorenGrubb/s...
Ultrastructure: x.com/SorenGrubb/s...
In older mice, where #MyogenicTone is weaker, #PrecapillarySphincters become even more critical barriers against #BloodPressure surges—compensating for #VascularStiffening and remodeling.
These changes suggest that #PrecapillarySphincters protect the capillaries 🛡️ by acting as a dynamic #resistance that regulates #capillary #BloodFlow and #BloodPressure.
Using #InVivo #VolumeImaging, we found #age related #vascular changes:
• ↑ #Tortuosity of #PenetratingArterioles
• ↓ #Arteriolar-capillary density
• ↑ #Capillaries at the venous end + #aneurysm-like bulbs downstream of #PrecapillarySphincters.
Figure showing how we used the two-photon laser to ablate the pericyte around the precapillary sphincter.
After #LaserAblating pericytes around #PrecapillarySphincters, we observed impaired #MyogenicResponse and #NeurovascularCoupling—demonstrating #PrecapillarySphincter pericyte contractility is essential.
Showing how a precapillary sphincter dilates during high blood pressure
🐭🧠 #PrecapillarySphincters (PS) at the #arteriole–#capillary junction rapidly dilate ~30% in seconds during #SensoryStimulation—regulating #capillary #BloodFlow dynamically. Here we investigated whether they protect downstream microvessels during abrupt #BloodPressure surges 🧪🧵
Here we show how 🧠 #precapillarysphincters react to #CorticalSpreadingDepolarization which is associated with #migraine with #aura 🤕. #CSD has 3 phases: constriction, dilation, and a long lasting constriction that interrupts #bloodflow🩸 to #capillaries (Tinyurl.com/euasfses).