Scoping Review: Integration of the Major Mechanisms Underlying the Regulation of Arteriolar Tone.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Arteriolar tone regulation plays a critical role in maintaining appropriate organ blood flow and perfusion distribution, which is vital for both vascular and overall health. SUMMARY: This scoping review aimed to explore the interplay between five major regulators of arteriolar tone: metabolism (adenosine), adrenergic control (norepinephrine), myogenic activation (intravascular pressure), perivascular oxygen tension, and intraluminal flow rates. Specifically, the aim was to address how arteriolar reactivity changes in the presence of other vasoactive stimuli and by what mechanisms. The review focused on animal studies that investigated the impact of combining two or more of these stimuli on arteriolar diameter. Overall, 848 articles were identified through MEDLINE and EMBASE database searches, and 38 studies were included in the final review. KEY MESSAGES: The results indicate that arteriolar reactivity is influenced by multiple factors, including competitive processes, structural limitations, and indirect interactions among stimuli. Additionally, the review identified a lack of research involving female animal models and limited insight into the interaction of molecular signaling pathways, which represent gaps in the literature.

Assessments of Perfusion, Blood Flow, and Vascular Structure in Ambulatory Subjects: Guidance for Translational Research Scientists.

Research involving human subjects in ambulatory settings is a critical link in the chain comprising translational research, spanning preclinical research to human subject and patient cohort studies. There are presently a wide array of techniques and approaches available to investigators wishing to study blood flow, perfusion, and vascular structure and function in human subjects. In this multi-sectioned review, we discuss capillaroscopy, carotid intima-media thickness, flow-mediated dilation, laser Doppler flowmetry, near-infrared spectroscopy, peripheral arterial tonometry, pulse wave velocity, retinal fundus imaging, and vascular plethysmography. Each section contains a general overview and the physical basis of the technique followed by a discussion of the procedures involved and the necessary equipment, with attention paid to specific requirements or limitations. Subsequently, we detail which aspects of vascular function can be studied with a given technique, the analytical approach to the collected data, and the appropriate application and limitation(s) to the interpretation of the data collected. Finally, a modified scoping review provides a summary of how each assessment technique has been applied in previous studies. It is anticipated that this review will provide an efficient source of information and insight for preclinical investigators seeking to add translational aspects to their research programs.