Response of Rabbit Aortic Strips Under Pulsed-Tension to Catecholamines. ∗

Abstract

Summary

A technique for studying the pharmacology of vascular smooth muscle has been described. This technique utilizes pulsed tension rather than the static tension customarily employed and has permitted the following observations: Contraction responses to the catecholamines have shown accelerated onset and recovery with increased uniformity of response. A differential sensitivity to norepinephrine has been shown to exist in segments taken from different parts of the same aorta. A progressive reduction in sensitivity to norepinephrine was observed from the arch to the origin of the superior mesenteric artery.