PHYS30001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 33: Sodium Nitroprusside, Vascular Smooth Muscle, Elastin
Document Summary
Effect of uteroplacental insufficiency on the smooth muscle response to a nitric oxide donor (sodium nitroprusside) - directly acts on vsm to relax. Impaired vasodilator response dysfunction of guanylate cyclase pathway. Influence of the lactational environment on vascular function in adulthood. Improvement of the lactational environment can restore vascular function. These studies disable vsm (active) to examine vessel structure. Allows us to assess the contribution of the extracellular matrix to arterial function. Measures the ability of artery to expand under pressure. Prevent vascular smooth muscle contribution by incubating artery in 0mm ca2+ solution, containing egta (ensures it is not constricting/relaxing) Measurements (each interval): wall width, vessel width and vessel length. Many types of early life insults cause increased stiffness of the artery wall - major impact on offspring health for rest of its life. Influence of placental restriction and the lactational environment on vessel stiffness. Uteroplacental insufficiency results in stiffening of mesenteric arteries (resistance)
