From the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia (M.B., I.T., A.P.A.).
Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering & Applied Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT (B.S.).
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2020 May;40(5):1068-1077. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.119.313861. Epub 2020 Apr 9.
The arterial wall is a composite material of elastin, collagen, and extracellular matrix with acutely modifiable material properties through the action of smooth muscle cells. Therefore, arterial stiffness is a complex parameter that changes not only with long-term remodeling of the wall constituents but also with acute contraction or relaxation of smooth muscle or with changes in the acute distending pressure to which the artery is exposed. It is not possible to test all these aspects using noninvasive or even invasive techniques in humans. Full characterization of the mechanical properties of the artery and the specific arterial factors causing changes to stiffness with disease or modified lifestyle currently require animal studies. This article summarizes the major in vivo and ex vivo techniques to measure the different aspects of arterial stiffness in animal studies.
动脉壁是弹性蛋白、胶原和细胞外基质的复合材料，通过平滑肌细胞的作用，其材料特性具有明显的可调节性。因此，动脉僵硬是一个复杂的参数，它不仅随着血管壁成分的长期重塑而变化，而且还随着平滑肌的急性收缩或松弛，或者随着动脉所暴露的急性扩张压力的变化而变化。使用非侵入性甚至侵入性技术在人体上测试所有这些方面是不可能的。要全面描述动脉的力学特性以及特定的动脉因素，这些因素会因疾病或生活方式的改变而导致动脉僵硬，目前需要进行动物研究。本文总结了在动物研究中测量动脉僵硬不同方面的主要体内和离体技术。
