Distribution of Flow Through Capillaries and Arteriovenous Anastomoses in the Rabbit Ear

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Abstract
Measurements of diameter of arteriovenous anastomoses (AVA) in the isolated, perfused rabbit ear, and of relative volume flow through them, were made by measurement and count of glass microspheres recovered in the venous outflow after injection of a predictable number of sized spheres into the arterial supply. Distension of the walls of smaller channels by the spheres could not be shown. Spheres as large as 60[mu] passed through the vasculature indicating the existence of AVA of this diameter. Diameter range for the majority of AVA was found to be between 47 and 59[mu]. Data indicate that AVA channels carry 36% (SE [plus or minus] 2.8%) of the total flow. Spontaneous variability within individual ears was [plus or minus] 9.9% around the mean AVA flow. Previous sphere injections are without measurable effect on subsequent determinations. The preparation appears to be a stable one for studying the physiology of AVA.

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