Rats with aortocaval fistula, an experimental model of congestive heart failure (CHF), display two distinct patterns of sodium excretion: some rats develop marked sodium retention and worsening edema with urinary excretion of sodium (UNaV) < 200 microEq per 24 hours, i.e., uncompensated CHF, whereas in others sodium balance rapidly returns to normal (UNaV > 1,400 microEq per 24 hours), i.e., co...

Diastolic dysfunction in volume-overload hypertrophy by aortocaval fistula is characterized by increased passive stiffness of the left ventricle (LV). We hypothesized that changes in passive properties are associated with abnormal myolaminar sheet mechanics during diastolic filling. We determined three-dimensional finite deformation of myofiber and myolaminar sheets in the LV free wall of six d...

Gross and ultrastructural changes occurring in the left ventricle in response to chronic volume overload were studied in dogs. One group of dogs was examined 28-43 days after an aortocaval fistula had been created; congestive heart failure had developed at the time of the examination. Two other groups of dogs were investigated 78 ± 17 (SD) days and 178 ± 4 days after similar fistulas had been c...

RATIONALE In chronic heart failure, the lung endothelial permeability response to angiotensin II or thapsigargin-induced store depletion is ablated, although the mechanisms are not understood. OBJECTIVES To determine whether the ablated permeability response to store depletion during heart failure was due to impaired expression of store operated Ca2+ channels in lung endothelium. METHODS He...

Gross and ultrastructural changes occurring in the left ventricle in response to chronic volume overload were studied in dogs. One group of dogs was examined 28-43 days after an aortocaval fistula had been created; congestive heart failure had developed at the time of the examination. Two other groups of dogs were investigated 78 ± 17 (SD) days and 178 ± 4 days after similar fistulas had been c...

Venous injury and attendant venous stenosis are major contributors to the failure of hemodialysis vascular accesses. This report describes the presence of neoangiogenesis in the intima and adventitia of the venous limb of an arteriovenous (AV) fistula in the rat, the latter induced by creating an aortocaval fistula. Immunohistochemistry of the venous limb demonstrated the presence of c-Kit-posi...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Renal blood flow (RBF) is tightly regulated by several intrinsic pathways in maintaining optimal kidney blood supply. Using a rat model of aortocaval (AC) fistula, we investigated remodeling of the renal artery following prolonged increased blood flow. METHODS An AC fistula was created in the infrarenal aorta of anesthetized rats, and changes of blood flow in the renal artery ...