Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 1 of 1
Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
The Vascular Link Between Intrauterine Hypoxia And Postnatal Cardiovascular Pathology, Jennifer A. Thompson
The Vascular Link Between Intrauterine Hypoxia And Postnatal Cardiovascular Pathology, Jennifer A. Thompson
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
The effect of intrauterine hypoxia on arterial development was evaluated with use of large and small animal models. Analyses included expression and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, differentiation and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), intima formation and wall thickening. A comprehensive investigation of possible molecular, mechanical and hormonal mediators of altered arterial development was afforded by a sheep model with both acute and chronic hypoxemia studies, whereas a guinea pig model allowed for long-term study. Our findings show that chronically hypoxic fetal sheep and intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) guinea pigs exhibit a reduction in elastic fibre content …