Sympathetic neural activation of vascular smooth muscle beta-receptors induces membrane hyperpolarization and arterial relaxation. This response, which likely is mediated by the Gs protein-adenylyl cyclase-cyclic AMP signaling cascade, is reduced in some hypertensive animal models and in human essential hypertension. Since reduced beta-receptor-mediated vasodilation is a potential mechanism for...

We evaluated the effects of superfusing 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), eNOS null ( B)an inhibitor of soluble guanylyl cyclase, and 7-nitroindazole sodium (7-NI), a selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitor, on the acetylcholine (ACh) response in endothelial NOS (eNOS) null mice. Pial arteriolar diameter was measured by intravital microscopy through a closed c...

Effects of Pb and several other metal ions on various distinct types of voltage-, receptor- and Ca-activated ion channels have been investigated in cultured N1E-115 mouse neuroblastoma cells. Experiments were performed using the whole-cell voltage clamp and single-channel patch clamp techniques. External superfusion of nanomolar to submillimolar concentrations of Pb causes multiple effects on i...

The push-pull superfusion technique (PPST) is a procedure for in vivo examination of transmitter release in distinct brain areas. This technique allows to investigate dynamics of transmitter release both under normal and experimentally evoked conditions. The PPST can be modified so that it is possible to determine release of endogenous transmitters simultaneously with electroencephalogram (EEG)...

Peripheral noxious stimulation leads to a rapid and transient expression of c-fos, c-jun and other immediate-early genes (IEGs) in the spinal cord. However, the role of IEG encoded transcription factors in plasticity of spinal neurons remains speculative. In the present study we have shown that superfusion of rat spinal cord with antisense oligodeoxynucleotides complementary to c-fos mRNA suppr...

Microvascular resistance (MVR), determined as the ratio of the second-order arteriolar blood pressure (servo-null method) to blood flow (dual-slit), was assessed in the cremaster muscle preparation of 7- to 8-week-old normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The MVR was used as an index of resistance during 1) control conditions; 2) superfusion of graded c...

PURPOSE To determine whether maintenance of corneal hydration is dependent on bicarbonate ions and whether these ions can be derived from metabolic or exogenous CO2, and to investigate the relationship of transendothelial fluid movement to control of hydration. METHODS The thickness of intact or deepithelialized rabbit corneas was measured while superfused on the endothelial surface with eith...

Kisspeptins (Kp) are RF-amide neuropeptide regulators of the reproductive axis that also influence anxiety, locomotion, and metabolism. We aimed to investigate effects intracerebroventricular Kp-8 (an N-terminally truncated octapeptide) treatment in Wistar rats. Elevated plus maze (EPM), computerized open field (OF), marble burying (MB) tests were performed for assessment behavior. Serum LH cor...

BACKGROUND The mechanisms regulating the cerebellar microcirculation during neural activity are poorly understood. One of the major neural inputs to the cerebellar cortex is the climbing fiber (CF), a pathway that uses excitatory amino acids, including glutamate, as a transmitter. We studied whether CF activation increases cerebellar blood flow (BFcrb) and, if so, we investigated the role of gl...