AJP - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, Vol 248, Issue 3 272-G276, Copyright © 1985 by American Physiological Society
Effect of hypoxia on feline intestinal capillary permeability
M. A. Perry, A. P. Shepherd, P. R. Kvietys and D. N. Granger
The multiple-indicator dilution technique was used to investigate the
permeability characteristics of capillaries in the cat small intestine
during hypoxia. Reducing the arterial oxygen tension from 108 to 35 mmHg
for 10 min increased the calculated equivalent pore radius of intestinal
capillaries from 59 to 67 A. This effect was sustained for at least 15 min
after the hypoxic episode. Hypoxia did not alter intestinal lymphatic
protein clearance. Thus, the dimensions of the large pores did not change.
This study demonstrates that 10 min of severe hypoxia increases vascular
permeability in the small intestine and that this change occurs only in the
small pores and is sustained, at least briefly, after restoration of
normoxia. Hypoxia does not significantly change the permeability to
macromolecules.
