Regional heterogeneity of α-adrenoreceptor subtypes in arteriolar networks of mouse skeletal muscle.

Activation of vascular adrenoreceptors (ARs) governs the magnitude and distribution of muscle blood flow in accord with the distribution of AR subtypes. Functional studies in the rat cremaster muscle indicate that α1ARs predominate in proximal arterioles (first-order, 1A) while α2ARs predominate in distal arterioles (third-order, 3A). However, little is known of AR subtype distribution in arteriolar networks of locomotor skeletal muscles, particularly in the mouse.

Regional activation of rapid onset vasodilatation in mouse skeletal muscle: regulation through α-adrenoreceptors.

Exercise onset entails motor unit recruitment and the initiation of vasodilatation. Dilatation can ascend the arteriolar network to encompass proximal feed arteries but is opposed by sympathetic nerve activity, which promotes vasoconstriction and inhibits ascending vasodilatation through activating α-adrenoreceptors. Whereas contractile activity can antagonize sympathetic vasoconstriction, more subtle aspects of this interaction remain to be defined.

Blunting of rapid onset vasodilatation and blood flow restriction in arterioles of exercising skeletal muscle with ageing in male mice.

Exercise capacity and skeletal muscle blood flow are diminished with ageing but little is known of underlying changes in microvascular haemodynamics. Further, it is not clear how the sympathetic nervous system affects the microcirculation of skeletal muscle with ageing or whether sex differences prevail in the regulation of arteriolar diameter in response to muscle contractions. In the gluteus maximus muscle of C57BL/6 mice, we tested the hypothesis that ageing would impair 'rapid onset vasodilatation' (ROV) in distributing arterioles (second-order, 2A) of old (20-month) males (OM) and females (OF) relative to young (3-month) males (YM) and females (YF).

Relationship between circulating cortisol and testosterone: influence of physical exercise.

Human research has shown the administration of cortisol into the circulation at rest will result in reduced blood testosterone levels. Many researchers have used these results to imply that physical exercise induced cortisol increases would perhaps result in subsequent reductions in circulating testosterone levels. Our purpose was to examine this concept and determine what, if any, relationship exists between circulating cortisol (C) and testosterone (T) in men (n = 45, 26.