Microcirculation and reperfusion injury in organ transplantation.

There are many interesting aspects regarding hemorheology and tissue oxygenation in organ transplantation (such as liver, kidney, heart, etc.). The ischemia-reperfusion injury syndrome is a very important problem. Much damage in organs appears to be induced by reperfusion injury syndrome. In fact, not only immunological etiopathogenesis but also biochemically-mediated microcirculation alterations can modulate the organ damage induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury during organ transplantation. During ischemia-reperfusion injury, xanthine oxidase activity, the increase in oxygen free-radicals, and the activation of neuthrophils are all very important. Platelet activating factor (PAT) and LTB4 (promoting neuthrophils adhesiveness), activated by the xanthine oxidase-derived oxidants during reperfusion, activates the final post-ischemia injury. Much research is necessary in order to gain a fuller knowledge of the microcirculation conditions and oxygenation during organ transplantation.