Smooth muscle tone alters arterial stiffness: the importance of the extracellular matrix to vascular smooth muscle stiffness ratio.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Recent studies show that vascular smooth muscle (VSM) is more important to elastic artery mechanics than previously believed. It remains unclear whether increased VSM tone increases or decreases arterial stiffness.

Methods and results

We developed a novel arterial mechanics model based on pressure-diameter relationships that incorporates the contributions of extracellular matrix (ECM) and VSM to arterial stiffness measures. This model is advantageous because it simple enough to use with limited clinical data but has biologically relevant parameters which include ECM stiffness, VSM stiffness, and VSM tone. The model was used to retrospectively analyze the effects of nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation in four clinical studies. Stiffness parameters were modeled for f

SUBMITTER: Pewowaruk RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8810580 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature