Table 1.
Parameters of the contractile activity of the rat mesenteric lymphatic vessels in vivo in 9 and 24-mo-old animals
| Age/Treatment | End-Diastolic Diameter, μm | End-Systolic Diameter, μm | Contraction Amplitude, % | Contraction Frequency, min−1 | Amplitude-Frequency Product, min−1 | Fractional Pump Flow, min−1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9-mo Control | 51 ± 3 | 38 ± 2 | 25 ± 3 | 9.0 ± 0.6 | 222 ± 32 | 3.9 ± 0.5 |
| 9-mo l-NAME (5 min) | 41 ± 4 | 32 ± 3 | 21 ± 3 | 18.2 ± 2.0 | 387 ± 56 | 6.8 ± 1.0 |
| 9-mo l-NAME (15 min) | 34 ± 4 | 27 ± 2 | 20 ± 3 | 18.7 ± 1.7 | 348 ± 37 | 6.2 ± 0.6 |
| 24-mo Control | 87 ± 11 | 68 ± 7 | 20 ± 5 | 2.9 ± 0.6 | 53 ± 16 | 0.9 ± 0.3 |
| 24-mo l-NAME (5 min) | 87 ± 9 | 62 ± 8 | 29 ± 5 | 11.2 ± 2.2 | 328 ± 92 | 5.2 ± 0.6 |
| 24-mo l-NAME (15 min) | 72 ± 6 | 51 ± 6 | 30 ± 4 | 10.3 ± 3.4 | 338 ± 130 | 5.5 ± 1.0 |
Values are means ± SE; n = 6 (9 mo) and n = 8 (24 mo), where n represents the number of animals used for these studies. Control conditions and after administration of 100 μM Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) are shown.