Vascular Myogenic Vasoconstriction: Ca2+ signalling mechanisms.

Funded Activity Summary

Our studies are aimed at examining how blood flow and pressure is controlled in the various tissues of the body. In particular, we hope to improve our understanding of how blood flow is matched to local metabolic requirements and how a constancy of conditions can be maintained despite changes in overall blood pressure. This ability to control local blood flow occurs through the ability of very small arteries to rapidly adjust their diameters through vasoconstriction or vasodilatation. The vessels can thus act as valves regulating the transfer of blood flow and pressure to smaller vessels downstream. One particular response that small arteries exhibit is the ability to constrict when pressure within the vessels increases. The increase in pressure appears to stretch the vessel wall which in turn initiates a series of mechanical and biochemical steps that ultimately lead to contraction of muscle cells within the vessel wall. By contracting, the vessels limit the increase in downstream flow and pressure that would be expected to occur. The vessels being studied are very small, typically less than 100 micron. They are studied under isolated and controlled conditions using microscope and computer-based imaging techniques. While this allows us to directly monitor changes in vessel diameter to various stimuli (e.g. a change in pressure) we have also had to miniaturize biochemical measurements so we can understand the chemistry which underlies these vasoconstrictor responses. Understanding of how these local blood regulatory mechanisms occur is not only relevant to our understanding of the normal situation but is also vital to understanding disease states. For example, this work is very relevant to common cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension. It is hoped that a detailed understanding of the biochemical pathways by which small arteries contract will allow the design and targeting of pharmaceutical approaches for treatment of vascular disease states.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2004

End Date: 01-01-2006

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $384,750.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Medical biotechnology not elsewhere classified

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Vascular Reactivity | arterioles | calcium | cardiovascular disease and hypertension | mechanotransduction | microvascular disease | peripheral vascular disorder | sodium-calcium exchange | vascular smooth muscle

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