Autoregulation of intestinal capillary filtration rate.

To determine whether intestinal capillary filtration rate, capillary pressure, or both are autoregulated in the cat ileum, the following parameters were measured under isovolumetric conditions: lymph flow, capillary pressure, capillary filtration coefficient, and lymph and plasma oncotic pressures. Superior mesenteric arterial pressure was reduced in 25-mmHg steps from 125 to 25 mmHg. As arterial pressure was reduced, lymph flow, capillary pressure, and the transcapillary oncotic pressure gradient decreased while the capillary filtration coefficient increased. Over the arterial pressure range of 75-125 mmHg, capillary pressure decreased in a fashion expected from a rigid system; however, capillary pressure was slightly autoregulated at lower arterial pressures. Lymph flow fell proportionately more than capillary pressure over the entire arterial pressure range. The results of this study indicate that intestinal capillary pressure and capillary filtration rate are poorly autoregulated in the cat when arterial pressure is reduced. Changes in interstitial fluid pressure play a major role in preventing interstitial dehydration in the cat ileum when arterial pressure is reduced.