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The use of the general theory of the mechanics of muscle tissue for constructing a simplified model describing the mechanical behavior of a blood vessel wall containing muscle layers is dicussed. A formalization of the concept of tonus is proposed and the activator concentration in the myofibrils is introduced as a measure of that characteristic. The properties of vessels having a static characteristic with a descending branch are considered, particular attention being given to the case where the descending branch is associated with a strong dependence of the tonus on the state of stress of the vessel wall.

Theoretical research on the problem of describing the properties of muscle tissue is briefly reviewed. The principal approaches to the problem are indicated, their shortcomings are noted, and the requirements that must be satisfied by an up-to-date continuum model are formulated. The procedure for constructing such a model is described, together with the principal and secondary hypotheses, and the conclusions that follow from a comparison of theory and experiment are noted.