In vivo noninvasive monitoring of microhemodynamics using optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy

Microvascular autoregulation is an intrinsic ability of vascular beds to compensate for the fluctuation in blood flow and tissue oxygen delivery. This function is crucial to maintaining the local metabolic activity. Here, using optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM), we clearly observed vasomotion and vasodilation in the intact mouse microcirculation in vivo in response to the changes in physiological state. Our results show that a significant low-frequency vasomotion can be seen under hyperoxia but not hypoxia. Moreover, significant vasodilation is observed when the animal status is switched from hyperoxia to hypoxia. Our data show that arterioles have more pronounced vasodilation than venules.