Independent regulation of periarteriolar and perivenular nitric oxide mechanisms in the in vivo hamster cheek pouch microvasculature.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that differential stimulation of nitric oxide (NO) production can be induced in pre- and postcapillary segments of the microcirculation in the hamster cheek pouch.

Materials And Methods: We applied acetylcholine (ACh) or platelet-activating factor (PAF) topically and measured perivascular NO concentration ([NO]) with NO-sensitive microelectrodes in arterioles and venules of the hamster cheek pouch. We also measured NO in cultured coronary endothelial cells (CVEC) after ACh or PAF.