Cardiovascular system microcirculation

Levick J.R. 1984. E. Renkin and C. Michel (Eds.), Handbook of Physiology The Cardiovascular System Microcirculation, sec. 2, Vol. 4, pt 1, pp. 917-947, Bethesda, MD, American Physiological Society. Lohela M., Saaristo A., Veikkola T., and Alitalo K. 2003 Lymphangiogenic growth factors, receptors and therapies. Thromb. Haemost. 90 167-184. 

Curry FE. (1984). Mechanics and thermodynamics of transcapillary exchange. In EM Renkin, CC Michel, eds. Handbook of Physiology, Section 2, The Cardiovascular System. Vol. IV, Microcirculation, Part 2. Bethesda, MD Am Physiol Society, pp 309-374. 

At this point it may useful to review some of the fundamental aspects of blood pressure, its hemodynamic properties, and its normal control mechanisms. It is, of course, beyond the scope of this discussion to consider the total complexity of physiological factors of the cardiovascular system, except to state that its function is to provide the organism with a homeostatic environment. The ultimate supply of essential nutrients and gases to the cells in exchange for waste materials takes place in the capillary region, or microcirculation. 

Two-Volume set Handbook of Physiology. Section 2 The Cardiovascular System.Volume IV, Parts 1 2 Microcirculation. Edited by E.M. Renkin and C.C. Michel. 1984 American Physiological Society. The book remains a useful overview of the field. 

The continuous bifurcation of arteries within the cardiovascular system leads to blood flow within the smallest blood vessels of the arterial tree, the capillaries. The function of these important arterioles is to limit blood flow from the larger arteries in order to prevent damage to the fragile capillaries that connect the arterial vascular tree to the venous system. The capillaries also regulate, through a complex interaction with autacoids, hormones and neurotransmitters, the microcirculation by altering arterial smooth muscle wall tone (Pugsley and Tabrizchi 2000). 

The entire cardiovascular system—heart, arteries, and veins—is dependent upon the capillaries. These minute-sized vessels, averaging about 1/2,000 of an inch in diameter, are a part of the microcirculation system— the connecting link between the smallest branches of the arteries and the connecting veins. The segments of this small vessel system in order from the arterial to the venous side are (1) arteriole, (2) terminal arteriole, (3) metarteriole, (4) capillary, and (5) venule (see Fig. B-28). 

Hot-wire anemometers ( Micro/Nano-Anemometers ) have been developed for a wide spectrum of applications from experimental fluid mechanics to aerospace engineering to measure physical parameters such as temperature, flow rate, and shear stress. The advent of microelec-tromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoscale thermal sensors has provided an entry point to microfluidics, biomedical sciences, and microcirculation in cardiovascular medicine. These MEMS and nanoscale devices are fabricated... 

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