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Home / Equine Research Bank / Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol / Stress failure of pulmonary capillaries as a limiting factor...
European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology1995; 70(2); 99-108; doi: 10.1007/BF00361536

Stress failure of pulmonary capillaries as a limiting factor for maximal exercise.

Abstract: The pulmonary blood-gas barrier has a basic physiological dilemma. On the one hand it needs to be extremely thin for efficient gas exchange. On the other hand it also needs to be immensely strong because the stresses on the pulmonary capillary wall become extremely high when the capillary pressure rises on exercise. Maximal hydrostatic pressures in human pulmonary capillaries during exercise are not accurately known but must exceed 30 mmHg. In some animals, for example thoroughbred horses, the capillary pressure rises to about 100 mmHg. These pressures cause stresses in the capillary wall of 5-10 x 10(4) N.m-2 (50-100 kPa) which approach the breaking strength of collagen. The strength of the capillary wall on the thin side of the blood-gas barrier can be attributed to the type IV collagen of the extracellular matrix. Raising the capillary pressure to similar levels in experimental preparations causes ultrastructural changes in the wall including disruption of the capillary endothelium, alveolar epithelium, and basement membrane in the interstitium. Essentially all thoroughbred racehorses bleed into their lungs during exercise because they break their capillaries, and some elite human athletes apparently do the same. Avoiding stress failure of pulmonary capillaries poses a challenging problem for some species. Stress failure is a hitherto overlooked factor limiting maximal exercise.
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Publication Date: 1995-01-01 PubMed ID: 7768245DOI: 10.1007/BF00361536Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research paper investigates the role and limitation of pulmonary capillaries under stress during intensive exercise, especially in thoroughbred horses and some elite human athletes. The researchers argue that the stress failure of these capillaries has been an overlooked factor limiting maximal exercise performance.

Problem with Pulmonary Blood-Gas Barrier

  • The study starts with the identification of a fundamental problem of the pulmonary blood-gas barrier: it needs to be thin for efficient gas exchange but at the same time it needs to be strong enough to handle the stress from the rising capillary pressure during exercise.

Exercise and Pressure on Pulmonary Capillaries

  • Researchers observe that during intense exercise the hydrostatic pressures in human pulmonary capillaries can exceed 30 mmHg. In thoroughbred horses, this pressure can reach up to 100 mmHg.
  • These rising pressures cause immense stress on the capillary walls, often leading to damage, which, as the paper argues, may limit maximum exercise capability.

Strength of Capillary Walls and Collagen’s Role

  • In the face of this high stress, the capillary wall owes its strength to the presence of type IV collagen in the extracellular matrix.
  • However, the stress levels (5-10 x 10(4) N.m-2 or 50-100 kPa) from high pressures during exercise push the collagen’s breaking point. This means that the capillaries may break under high pressure caused by intense exercise, detrimental to overall performance.

Physical Changes in Capillary Walls

  • When subjected to pressures similar to those during exercise, the capillary endothelium, alveolar epithelium, and basement membrane in the interstitium of experimental preparations show disruptive ultrastructural changes.

Stress Failure of Pulmonary Capillaries

  • Research data suggests that nearly all thoroughbred horses and some elite human athletes experience pulmonary capillaries breakage, which causes bleeding into the lungs during exercise.
  • The study concludes that avoiding pulmonary capillaries’ stress failure poses an enormous challenge for some species and has been a factor overlooked, limiting maximal exercise.

Cite This Article

APA
West JB, Mathieu-Costello O. (1995). Stress failure of pulmonary capillaries as a limiting factor for maximal exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol, 70(2), 99-108. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00361536

Publication

European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology
ISSN: 0301-5548
NlmUniqueID: 0410266
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 70
Issue: 2
Pages: 99-108

Researcher Affiliations

West, J B
  • Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0623, USA.
Mathieu-Costello, O

    MeSH Terms

    • Animals
    • Blood Pressure / physiology
    • Capillaries / anatomy & histology
    • Capillaries / physiology
    • Exercise / physiology
    • Humans
    • Pulmonary Circulation / physiology
    • Stress, Physiological / physiopathology

    Grant Funding

    • HL-17331 / NHLBI NIH HHS
    • R01 HL-46910 / NHLBI NIH HHS

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    Citations

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