| Abstract: | The mechanical response of the vas induced by field stimulation is described in this paper. The experiments were performed, in vitro, on vasa from Sprague-Dawley albino rats. In the maintained ac tetanic stimulation, the active force achieves the peak magnitude in about 1 to 1.2 sec; thereafter, it relaxes gradually. For a given stimulus voltage (amplitude), a maximal response is elicited at 60 Hz. At 6000 Hz, and greater, no response is elicited. The ability to respond to stimulus dies out in 2 hr at 5 degrees C above the normal temperature of 37 degrees C; the ability to respond to stimulus remains unaffected at 5 degrees C below the normal temperature. The active force is always larger than the passive force when the vas is subjected to titanic stimulation near its in situ length. |
