Connexin43 (Cx43) is a major gap junction protein present in the Fischer-344 rat aorta. Previous studies have identified conditions under which selective disruption of intercellular communication with heptanol caused a significant, readily reversible and time-dependent diminution in the magnitude of alpha1-adrenergic contractions in isolated rat aorta. These observations have indentified a sign...

background: the vascular function of angiotensin ii-type-2 receptors in adults is controversial. we sought their location and function in mouse aortic rings at young and old mice. materials and methods: male c57bl mice (aged 4 and 14 months) were killed by co2. the descending thoracic aorta was cleaned and dissected into rings. aortic rings were mounted in krebs’ solution at 37 °c and then setu...

Cardiovascular disorders continue to constitute major causes of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. In this study, the effect of chronic administration of sesame (Sesamum indicum L) seed feeding was studied on aortic reactivity of streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats. Male diabetic rats received sesame seed-mixed food at weight ratios of 3% and 6% for 7 weeks, one week after diabetes in...

objective(s) four novel losartan analogues 5a-d were synthesized by connecting a dihydropyridine nucleus to imidazole ring. the effects of 5a and 5b on angiotensin receptors (at') and l-type calcium channels were investigated on isolated rat aorta. materials and methods aortic rings were pre-contracted with 1 pm angiotensin ii or 80 mm kcl and relaxant effects of losartan, nifedipine, 5a a...

Apigenin is shown to have cardiovascular effects, but the effects of apigenin on aortas injured by exogenous oxidants are unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of apigenin on endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in isolated rat aortic rings exposed to superoxide anion produced by pyrogallol, and its mechanism. The male Sprague-Dawley rat thoracic aorta was rapidly d...

Urotensin-II (U-II), the most potent vasoconstrictor that has recently been recognized as a new candidate in cardiovascular dysfunction, might exert vasoconstriction through, at least partially, potassium channels that are predominant in both endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The present study was designed to evaluate the roles of potassium channels in vascular responses to ...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the possible vascular effects of an environment carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene (BaP). METHODS The cytotoxicit of BaP and rat liver S9 (0.25 mg/mL)-activated BaP were examined by MTT assay. Thoracic aortic rings were dissected from Sprague-Dawley rats. Contraction of aortic rings was induced by 60 mmol/L KCl or 10(-6) mol/L phenylephrine (PE) in an ex-vivo perfusion system aft...

Pentamethoxyflavone (PMF) was isolated from the rhizomes of Kaempferia parviflora, a plant that is claimed to have anti-hypertensive effects. We have investigated the activity of the PMF on isolated rat thoracic aortic rings. PMF caused a relaxation of phenylephrine precontracted aortic rings, and this effect was inhibited by N-nitro-L-arginine (LNA), ODQ (guanylyl cyclase inhibitor), or by rem...

The purpose of this study was to identify novel transcriptional events occurring in the aortic wall before angiogenesis. We used a defined tissue culture system that takes advantage of the capacity of rat aortic rings to generate neovessels ex vivo in response to angiogenic factor stimulation. Total RNA isolated from aortic rings 18 h posttreatment with angiopoietin (Ang)-1 or vascular endothel...

The aortic ring model has become one of the most widely used methods to study angiogenesis and its mechanisms. Many factors have contributed to its popularity including reproducibility, cost effectiveness, ease of use and good correlation with in vivo studies. In this system aortic rings embedded in biomatrix gels and cultured under chemically defined conditions generate arborizing vascular out...