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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Effects Of Aging On Pressure-Induced Mapk Activation In The Rat Aorta, Kevin M. Rice
Effects Of Aging On Pressure-Induced Mapk Activation In The Rat Aorta, Kevin M. Rice
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
With age, the cardiovascular system experiences substantial alterations in cellular morphology and function. The factors regulating these changes are unknown; however, the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways have emerged as critical components for mediating numerous cellular responses including control of cell growth, differentiation and adaptation. Here we compare the expression, basal activation and the ability of increased pressure to activate the MAPK pathways in adult (6 month old), aged (30 month old) and very aged (36 month old) Fischer 344 x Brown Norway F1 Hybrid rats. Histochemical analysis demonstrated an age-related increase in tunica media thickness of approximately 11% …
Evidence For Absence Of Latchbridge Formation In Phasic Saphenous Artery, Shaojie Han
Evidence For Absence Of Latchbridge Formation In Phasic Saphenous Artery, Shaojie Han
Theses and Dissertations
Tonic arterial smooth muscle can produce strong contractions indefinitely by formation of slowly cycling crossbridges (latchbridges) that maintain force at a high energy economy. To fully understand the uniqueness of mechanisms regulating tonic arterial contraction, comparisons have been made to phasic visceral smooth muscles that do not sustain high forces. This study explored mechanisms of force maintenance in a phasic artery by comparing KCl-induced contractions in the tonic, femoral artery (FA) and its primary branch, the phasic saphenous artery (SA). KCl rapidly (5 N/m2) and [ca2+]i (250 nM) in FA and SA. By 10 min, [ca2+]i declined to 175 nM …