Pulsatile Distention and Vascular Collagen Synthesis in the Rabbit

In rabbits, collagen synthesis was studied in five different regions of the vasuclar tree which are subjected to different degrees of pulsatile distention, i.e., cyclic stretching, and mean pressure. The vessels with greatest pulsatile distention had the highest specific activity of hydroxyproline in collagen after incubation with 14C-proline and the inferior vena cava with low pressure and negligible pulsatile distention had the lowest specific activity. The findings suggest a link between mechanical stretching and cellular metabolic function and have significance as to the relationship of pulsatile flow to normal vascular and organ physiology.