Fig. 4: The role of mean pressure in aortic tissue de-stiffening. | Communications Biology

Fig. 4: The role of mean pressure in aortic tissue de-stiffening.

From: Increasing pulse pressure ex vivo, mimicking acute physical exercise, induces smooth muscle cell-mediated de-stiffening of murine aortic segments

Fig. 4

Relative Ep in the presence of 300 µM L-NAME and 2 µM PE as a function of time at 80–120 mm Hg after conditioning the segments for 5 min at different pressures. Experimental protocol showing that the pulse pressure was kept constant (at 40 mm Hg) whilst the mean pressure was increased: 80–120, 100–140, 120–160 and 140–180 mm Hg. Data were compared with the higher pulse pressure of 90 mm Hg (80–170 mm Hg) (A). Ep was expressed in % with Ep before the conditioning period as 100% (B). Curves were fitted with a mono-exponential function revealing amplitude of de-stiffening (at 50 s in the graph, when segments were clamped between 80 and 120 mm Hg) (C), amount of re-stiffening (D) and time constants of re-stiffening (E). The box on plot (B) represents the conditioning period for 5 min at 80–120 mm Hg, 100–140 mm Hg, 120–160 mm Hg and 140–180 mm Hg. *, **, ***: p < 0.05, 0.01, 0.001 versus 80–170 mm Hg (n = 5). Ep Peterson’s modulus of elasticity.

Back to article page