Capillary And Shunt Blood Flow in the Nasal Mucosa of the Cat

Abstract

Radioactive microspheres (15 ± 5 μm) were used to investigate capillary and shunt blood flow in the nasal mucosa of the cat. Capillary flow was about 0.5 ml/g/min. An abundant arterio-venous shunting was simultaneously recorded. Shunt flow was 57 ± 11% of total blood flow. Sympathetic stimulation resulted in a greater reduction in shunt flow than in capillary flow, indicating that increases in sympathetic nerve activity will result in a redistribution of flow from shunt to exchange vessels.