General Description.
This program consists of a brief introduction which sets out in diagrammatic form the major mechanisms through which drugs produce effects on muscle tone in vascular smooth muscle. This section is intended only as an aide-memoire for students. It is not intended as a complete instruction on the pharmacology of vascular tissues.

The major part of the program consists of a simulation of vascular ring preparations: arterial rings (intact endothelium, denuded of endothelium, endotoxin treated) and a venous ring (endothelium intact). These tissues can be exposed to various drugs (see later) and the responses produced displayed on the screen. It is possible to review the record produced earlier in the experiment and to move backwards and forward in the record of the experiment. Parts of the record may be printed to provide a permanent record. Local printers work well but network printers can give problems in that output can go astray or take hours to be printed. Use with a network printer is not recommended.

The choice of drug concentration and the order and sequence of drug administration are entirely in the hands of the user as is the choice of when to washout the tissue bath. A great variety of experiments can therefore be performed either as set by the tutor or as devised by students to answer questions set by the tutor. The program is intended to be used with specific tasks set by the tutor and to this end a series of schedules has been included (see later) which students can be asked to perform. Tutors can design their own exercises to suit particular groups of students (either on the basis of following a set schedule or designing an experiment to answer a particular question).

The package is supplied on a CD-ROM Installation Disc and can be installed to a local hard disc or network drive.