The Role of Microcirculation in Haemodynamics: A Journey from Atlas to Sisyphus

Microcirculation, through its complex network of vessels (arterioles, capillaries and venules), plays a pivotal role in maintaining cellular functions. Located between the macrocirculatory system- the heart and large vessels, and the interstitial environment, microcirculation acts as a gateway for oxygen supply (O2), removal of carbon dioxide (CO2), delivery of nutrients and hormones, and plays a crucial role in the immune response, thermoregulation and coagulation control.
In order to maintain an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to cells and tissues at the levels of the macro-, regional- and microcirculatory fields, the physiological mechanisms that regulate blood perfusion are closely interrelated.
This functional interdependence between macrohaemodynamics, microhaemodynamics, interstitial space and subcellular structures (such as the mitochondria, the bioenergetic factory of the organism) was demonstrated by Dr. Henry Weil, who explicitly defined the condition of acute circulatory failure or circulatory shock [1,2]. In his work, he highlights the catastrophic consequences of arterial hypotension associated with tissue hypoperfusion in various states of shock. [More]