Capsaicin is an excitotoxin for primary afferent neurons, and perivagal administration of capsaicin is frequently used to ablate afferent fibers from the vagus nerve in an attempt to elucidate the role of afferent fibers in gastrointestinal (GI) regulation. However, this method has recently been called into question by research demonstrating that the molecular target of capsaicin on spinal and ...

The present study was conducted to determine the contribution of nitric oxide to angiotensin II (Ang II) reactivity of afferent and efferent arterioles from Ang II-infused hypertensive rats. Experiments were performed in vitro with the blood-perfused juxtamedullary nephron technique in kidneys harvested from hypertensive Sprague-Dawley rats (181+/-1 mm Hg) that had received 60 ng/min Ang II sub...

The present studies were performed to determine the contribution of EP(2) receptors to renal hemodynamics by examining afferent arteriolar responses to PGE(2), butaprost, sulprostone, and endothelin-1 in EP(2) receptor-deficient male mice (EP(2)-/-). Afferent arteriolar diameters averaged 17.8 +/- 0.8 microm in wild-type (EP(2)+/+) mice and 16.7 +/- 0.7 microm in EP(2)-/- mice at a renal perfus...

Hyperexcitability of C-fiber bladder afferent pathways has been proposed to contribute to urinary frequency and bladder pain in chronic bladder inflammation including interstitial cystitis. However, the detailed mechanisms inducing afferent hyperexcitability after bladder inflammation are not fully understood. Thus, we investigated changes in the properties of bladder afferent neurons in rats w...

The present study examined the role of L-/T-type Ca channels and the interaction between these channels and protein kinase C (PKC) in hypertension. The isolated perfused hydronephrotic rat kidney model was used to visualize directly the renal microvascular effects of L-/T-type Ca channel blockers (nifedipine and mibefradil, respectively). Nifedipine reversed the angiotensin II-induced constrict...

Adenosine vasoconstricts preglomerular arterioles via adenosine A1 receptors. Because adenosine also activates adenosine A2 receptors, its overall renal vascular actions are complex and not fully understood. The present study was performed to determine the relative contributions of adenosine A1 and A2a receptors to the responsiveness of the renal microvasculature to adenosine. Afferent and effe...

BACKGROUND To identify breast cancer cells in the afferent lymphatic tracts of axillary sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). MATERIAL AND METHOD The authors performed a prospective study of 1 00 breast cancer patients who underwent SLN biopsy between June 2009 and January 2010. The afferent lymphatic tracts of SLNs were identified by isosulfan blue or radiocolloid or both and were examined histologic...