Myogenic tone is an important determinant of vascular tone and blood flow in small resistance arteries of certain vascular beds. The role of the endothelium in myogenic responses is unclear. We hypothesized that endothelium-derived NO release modulates myogenic constriction in small resistance arteries and that mesenteric small arteries from mice with targeted disruption of the gene for endothe...

Gain-of-function mutations in the human WNK1 (with-no-lysine[K]1) gene are responsible for a monogenic form of arterial hypertension, and WNK1 polymorphisms have been associated with common essential hypertension. The role of WNK1 in renal ionic reabsorption has been established, but no investigation of its possible influence on vascular tone, an essential determinant of blood pressure, has bee...

The endothelium regulates vascular homoeostasis through local elaboration of mediators that modulate vascular tone, platelet adhesion, inflammation, fibrinolysis, and vascular growth. Impaired vascular function contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndromes. There is growing pathophysiological evidence that increased generation of reactive oxygen species and oxi...

Some aspects of vascular reactivity are altered in mild experimental uraemia, as shown by increased myogenic tone and a reduced lumen diameter in the femoral artery. This study was conducted to investigate the prevention of these uraemia-induced vascular abnormalities by the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) Ramipril. Ten male Wistar rats were rendered uraemic (U) by 5/6th nephrec...

The microsphere method has been used extensively to measure regional blood flow in large laboratory animals. A fundamental premise of the method is that microspheres do not alter regional flow or vascular tone. Whereas this assumption is accepted in large animals, it may not be valid in the pulmonary circulation of smaller animals. Three studies were performed to determine the hemodynamic effec...

The objective of this study was to determine the direct actions of nitroprusside and nitroglycerin on the pulmonary vascular bed in the intactchest dog. These widely used nitrogen oxide-containing vasodilator agents decreased pulmonary arterial pressure and increased cardiac output without altering left atrial pressure. Reductions in pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance...

Glenny, Robb W., Susan L. Bernard, and Wayne J. Lamm. Hemodynamic effects of 15-mm-diameter microspheres on the rat pulmonary circulation. J Appl Physiol 89: 499–504, 2000.—The microsphere method has been used extensively to measure regional blood flow in large laboratory animals. A fundamental premise of the method is that microspheres do not alter regional flow or vascular tone. Whereas this ...