Structural Adaptation and Heterogeneity of Normal and Tumor Microvascular Networks
Figure 6
Schematic illustration showing hypothesized effect of information transfer on flow and oxygenation in networks.
Top: in normal tissue, information transfer ensures that long pathways (L) receive adequate flow and short pathways (S) are not overperfused. Bottom: in tumor tissue, loss of conducted responses causes functional shunting via short pathways (S). Long pathways (L) are underperfused and hypoxic. Red and blue colors denote high and low oxygen levels respectively.