# ROLE OF MICROCIRCULATION IN CUTANEOUS DISORDERS

> **NIH NIH R01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 1989 · $289,898

## Abstract

The goals of this research are to gain a better understanding of the
organization and ultrastructure of the normal human cutaneous
microcirculation so that it may be applied to dermatoses in which the
microvasculature plays a significant role such as psoriasis, diabetes
mellitus, sun damage and telangiectases.

We intend to reconstruct the 3-dimensional relationships between the
elements of the microvascular unit (endothelial cell, pericyte, mural
basement membrane material, mast cell and veil cell) by a computer graphics
system of our own design.  We shall study the 3-dimensional configuration
of the myofilamentous bundles in the endothelial cells and see how they
relate to the surrounding elastic fiber network and whether they
participate in vasodilatation and vasoconstriction.  We will map out the
lymphatic capillary network in relation to the blood vascular system and we
shall investigate whether there are vascular fields produced in the dermis
by the microvasculature.  Using human and psoriatic skin grafted onto Nude
mice; we will study the differentiated microdomains on the endothelial
surface with tracers as the initial studies of macromolecular transport in
the human microvasculature.  We plan to measure cutaneous blood flow by
laser Doppler velocimetry in psoriatic lesions under therapy to correlate
flow with ultrastructural changes in the capillary loops, labeling index of
basal cells and histologic features to further study the modulating effect
of the microvasculature on the initiation and regression of psoriatic
lesions.  We shall also be studying the morphological events in the
development of the endothelial cell gaps in psoriatic vessels and in
histamine activated venules.  We shall be reconstructing in 3-dimensions a
variety of common vascular abnormalities in order to learn more about their
organization.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3154840
- **Project number:** 5R01AR015739-18
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** FL6GV84CKN57
- **Principal Investigator:** IRWIN M BRAVERMAN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $289,898
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1977-07-01 → 1991-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3154840

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3154840, ROLE OF MICROCIRCULATION IN CUTANEOUS DISORDERS (5R01AR015739-18). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3154840. Licensed CC0.

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