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Regulation of Hepatic Vascular Capacitance

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Veins

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Abstract

The mammalian liver is part of the splanchnic bed that provides a highly significant blood reservoir for compensation for loss of blood from the thorax and consequently a decreased cardiac output. Stresses requiring blood volume compensation include: blood or water loss, quiet standing, return from a prolonged bout of zero gravity, thermal stress, or exercise. Hepatic blood volume is changed passively by changes in hepatic arterial or gastrointestinal blood flow or by changes in vena caval pressure. Liver blood volume is also changed actively via reflexes, hormones, or drugs that activate the hepatic venous smooth muscle. Hepatic vascular compliance is about ten times that of the body as a whole, and is changed by active mechanisms. The hepatic unstressed blood volume is markedly changed by hormones. Baroreceptor control of hepatic volume is important in dogs, but not in cats and possibly not in humans. The hepatic venular pressure of rats, rabbits, and puppies is about 40% of the pressure gradient between the portal vein and vena cava. Major areas of uncertainty include: (a) the magnitude of sinusoidal pressure and how it is controlled, (b) the mechanisms controlling hepatic venous resistance, and (c) the mechanisms influencing hepatic vascular capacitance.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5120, USA

    Carl F. Rothe

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  1. Carl F. Rothe
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Gifu University School of Medicine, Gifu, 500, Japan

    Senri Hirakawa M.D. (Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Professor of Nutrition) (Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Professor of Nutrition)

  2. Kobe Women’s University, Kobe, 654, Japan

    Senri Hirakawa M.D. (Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Professor of Nutrition) (Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Professor of Nutrition)

  3. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 46202-5120, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Carl F. Rothe Ph.D. (Professor) (Professor)

  4. The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 21205, Baltimore, MA, USA

    Artin A. Shoukas Ph.D. (Professor Biomedical Engineering) (Professor Biomedical Engineering)

  5. Faculty of Medicine, The University of Calgary, T2N 4N1, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    John V. Tyberg M.D., Ph.D. (Professor of Medicine and Medical Physiology, and Heritage Medical Scientist) (Professor of Medicine and Medical Physiology, and Heritage Medical Scientist)

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© 1993 Springer Japan

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Rothe, C.F. (1993). Regulation of Hepatic Vascular Capacitance. In: Hirakawa, S., Rothe, C.F., Shoukas, A.A., Tyberg, J.V. (eds) Veins. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68385-8_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68385-8_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-68387-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-68385-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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