Differential reactivity in the pulmonary circulation.

A new method for relating regional intravascular resistance to pulmonary arterial, capillary, and venous pressure and volume was used to evaluate local differences of reactivity in the pulmonary blood vessels in the isolated lung lobe of the dog. Intravascular infusion of isoproterenol caused active dilatation of pulmonary arteries and veins. Capillary conductance (1/resistance) and volume increased, possibly as a result of the opening of previously closed capillaries. Serotonin infusion caused active constriction of both the pulmonary arteries and veins. A low dose of serotonin (1.5 mug/min per kg) caused predominant constriction of whichever vessels were upstream (arteries during forward perfusion, veins during reverse perfusion). A high dose of serotonin (4.5-5.0 mug/min per kg) caused constriction of both upstream and downstream vessels. Metabolic inactivation of serotonin by the lung is suggested as an explanation for these observations. Histamine infusion caused predominant venous constriction whether veins were upstream or downstream. Capillary volume and conductance decreased during forward and reverse perfusion, perhaps as a result of pericapillary edema formation. Large arterial vessels constricted slightly, whereas small arterial vessels appeared to be passively dilated.