Skeletal muscle blood flow and vasodilation
VASODILATION
Basal and insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle blood flow (mBF) and vasodilation (blood volume, mBV) were measured during the clamp using continuous-wave near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) [The measurements were performed before obtaining the muscle biopsies, and great care was taken to ensure that the participants lay still in a relaxed position without moving the leg while measurements were performed. mBV was calculated using the average tHb concentration (μM) over 5 min, at rest before (basal) and 120 min after insulin infusion. Using a custom and automated occlusion device, mBF was determined from the average slope of the [tHb] signal during four 15-s venous cuff occlusions (90 mmHg) with 45 s rest separating the occlusions as validated previously [