Elsevier

Brain Research

Volume 208, Issue 1, 9 March 1981, Pages 35-58
Brain Research

Quantitative capillary topography and blood flow in the cerebral cortex of cats: an in vivo microscopic study

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(81)90619-3Get rights and content

Abstract

In 50 anesthetized cats the microcirculation in intermediate and deeper layers of the cerebral cortex was visualized in vivo by microtransillumination, and documented by high-speed microcinephotography. The viability of the preparation was verified in a series of experiment s demonstrating spontaneous vasomotion and responsiveness to chemical stimulation of pial arterioles and small arteries. Stereological methods for quantitative analysis of projected images of capillaries in a comparatively large tissue volume were employed to determine morphometric and topographical parameters of the asymmetric, highly tortuous intracortical capillary network. Capillary diameters (5.1 ± 0.84μm), radii of curvature (median 57 μm), total capillary lengths per tissue volume939 ± 338.2 mm/cu.mm, capillary volume fractions (2.1 ± 0.51%), total capillary surface areas per tissue volume (15.3 ± 4.85 sq.mm/cu.mm), and intercapillary distances (median 24.2 μm) showed significant interregional differences. The frequency distribution of the lenghts of capillary segments (median 108 μm) was best described by a Weibull distribution. On the average 90% of all capillaries were continously perfused. Capillary red cell flow (median velocity 1500 μm/sec) was predominantly unidirectional and conspicuously irregular. The variance of capillary red cell velocities (CRCVs) was significantly correlated (τ = 0.48) with capillary tortuosity. An extreme value distribution best describes the observed frequency distribution of CRCVs. Flow irregularities represented both twice noise and a significant stochastic periodicity at frequencies between 40 and 90 Hz.

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