Isolated rabbit veins preconstricted by either norepinephrine, methoxamine or potassium were relaxed by histamine in the presence of mepyramine, a histamine H1-antagonist. The relaxation was not antagonized by atropine, propranolol and indomethacin but by an H2-antagonist cimetidine. It is likely that histamine relaxes the rabbit veins through H2-receptors.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

A regional difference in the distribution of postsynaptic alpha-adrenoceptor subtypes in canine veins.

The responsiveness of helical venous strips isolated from fifteen different sites in the body of dogs to relatively selective alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists was studied, as well as to a non-selective alpha-adrenoceptor agonist. Longitudinal strips of the portal and mesenteric veins and the inferior vena cava between the liver and the renal vein (segment C) were also investigated. All veins contracted to noradrenaline or phenylephrine whereas only seven veins responded significantly to clonidine: the saphenous, cephalic, jugular and femoral veins and longitudinal strips of the portal and mesenteric veins and the segment C of the inferior vena cava. The brachiocephalic, azygos, pulmonary and splenic veins and the superior vena cava and the supradiaphragmatic portion (segment A) and the infrarenal portion (segment D) of the inferior vena cava responded little to clonidine. Unlike the longitudinal strips, the helical strips of the portal and mesenteric veins and the segment C of the inferior vena cava did not respond to clonidine. According to the relative sensitivities to phenylephrine and clonidine, those veins which responded to clonidine could be divided into three groups. (1) The veins in which the sensitivity to phenylephrine was higher than to clonidine: longitudinal strips of the portal vein and segment C of the inferior vena cava, (2) the veins whose sensitivity to phenylephrine was lower than to clonidine: the saphenous, cephalic, femoral and external jugular veins, (3) the vein whose sensitivity to the two agonists was comparable: longitudinal strips of the mesenteric vein. Subtype characteristics were further analyzed in the saphenous vein and in the portal vein using prazosin, phentolamine and yohimbine as antagonists. Analysis of Schild plots to noradrenaline suggested that a mixed population of alpha-adrenoceptor subtypes might be present in the saphenous vein, whereas a rather homogeneous population of a single subtype might occur in the portal vein. The results of the antagonism experiment against phenylephrine and clonidine suggested that contractions of the saphenous vein are mediated by both alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors whereas contractions of the portal vein are exerted mainly through alpha 1-adrenoceptors. The results suggest that there may be a distinct regional difference with respect to postsynaptic alpha- adrenoceptor subtypes in the canine venous system.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗

PubMed1983

Changes in the pattern of SDH and PhR staining in fibres of rat masseter muscle following long-term functional stretch.

Histochemical changes in the three basic fibre types of the deep masseter muscle of the rat were studied following functional stretch due to increased vertical dimension of the occlusion. A large number of muscle fibres showed changing histochemical profiles for succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) and phosphorylase (PhR) during degeneration and subsequent regeneration of muscle fibres. On the other hand, a small number of muscle fibres with well defined sarcolemmas presented a normal pattern (i.e. low SDH and high or intermediate PhR activities) during this experiment. The ratio between the three basic fibre types remained unchanged after recovery of the muscle fibres. These results suggest that fast-twitch-oxidative-glycolytic and slow-twitch-oxidative fibres underwent degeneration and regeneration, while almost all the fast-twitch-glycolytic fibres retained normal SDH and PhR staining following functional stretch.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Histologic changes in rat masticatory muscles subsequent to experimental increase of the occlusal vertical dimension.

Histologic changes in various masticatory muscles were studied in Wistar rats from 12 hours to 84 days after an experimental increase of the occlusal vertical dimension. The increases applied (1 to 2 mm) were based on the amount of interocclusal space (1 mm) in the rat. A sequence of tissue reaction from early acute inflammatory destruction of myofibers to healing with myofiber regeneration was most pronounced in the deep masseter muscle of the 2 mm group (12 hours to 21 days). A similar sequence was also observed to a lesser degree in the superficial masseter and anterior temporal muscles, while no changes were detectable in the posterior temporal, medial pterygoid, and anterior digastric muscles of this group. Variable severity of tissue response in different masticatory muscles might be attributable to the amount of stretching of myofibers as a result of an increased occlusal vertical dimension. On the other hand, degenerative atrophy of myofibers in the lateral pterygoid muscle occurred within 2 days with no sign of inflammation, and these condensed myofibers persisted as late as 84 days. Based on these findings, it was suggested that displacement of the mandibular condyle would exert an important influence on the prognosis after an increase in the occlusal vertical dimension. Only a transient acute inflammation occurred in the deep and superficial masseter muscles in the 1 mm group. Except for a small number of condensed myofibers in the lateral pterygoid muscle, degenerative changes of myofibers were not revealed. Therefore, increasing the occlusal vertical dimension within the extent of the interocclusal space might be regarded as appropriate for prosthodontic practices.

Animals↗

PubMed1983