Blood Vessel Tension Tester

About this technology

Overview

Investigators are studying how vascular smooth muscle, muscle in walls of blood vessels, reacts to various stimulants, such as coffee, tea, alcohol, and drugs. Langley developed a miniaturized system whose key components are a micropositioner" for stretching a length of blood vessel and a strain gage for measuring smooth muscle tension developed. Micropositioner is two-pronged holder. Loop of blood vessel is hooked over prongs and stretched by increasing distance between prongs in minute increments fractions of a millimeter. At each increase tension developed is carefully measured. In some cases holder and specimen are lowered into the test tubes which contain a saline solution simulating body fluid. Effect of compound on developed tension is then measured."