Department of Experimental Hypertension is studying the mechanisms of blood pressure (BP) regulation and end-organ damage in rats with different types of experimental hypertension. Our research is focused mainly on:
- Elucidation of the mechanisms by which endothelin and renin-angiotensin systems participate in renal damage in transgenic rats with inserted mouse renin gene (Ren-2 TGR) – cooperation with IKEM (Prague).
- Comparison of the role of calcium sensitization (Rho kinase pathway) and calcium influx in the development of high BP in rats with genetic or salt hypertension – molecular biological analysis of alterations in these regulatory pathways.
- Study of the central mechanisms of blood pressure regulation in rats with genetic hypertension: focus on brain renin-angiotensin system, central corticoid effects, baroreflex control of sympathetic tone and oxidative stress.
- Investigation of cardiovascular effects of new analogs of neuropeptides regulating food intake in rats – cooperation with IOCHB CAS (Prague).
Recording of blood pressure.
Adrenal section stained for tyrosine hydroxylase (detected by Vectastain ABC kit).
Aorta section – α-actin (red), nuclei (blue) and autofluorescence (green).
Recording of contraction of isolated femoral artery stimulated by norepinephrine (NE).
Overview of alterations in calcium sensitization during development of spontaneously hypertension in the rat The schematic representation of possible regulatory mechanisms involved in RhoA/Rho kinase pathway is demonstrated in normotensive (a), prehypertensive (b) and hypertensive (c) rats.
