Effects of oxidative stress on endothelial modulation of contractions in aorta from renal hypertensive rats.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction is linked to exaggerated production of superoxide anions. This study was conducted to examine the effects of oxidative stress on endothelial modulation of contractions in chronic two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) renal hypertensive rats.

Methods: The 2K1C hypertension was induced by clipping the left renal artery; age-matched rats receiving sham treatment served as controls.

5-hydroxytryptamine generates tonic inward currents on pacemaker activity of interstitial cells of cajal from mouse small intestine.

In this study we determined whether or not 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) has an effect on the pacemaker activities of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) from the mouse small intestine. The actions of 5-HT on pacemaker activities were investigated using a whole-cell patch-clamp technique, intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) analysis, and RT-PCR in ICC. Exogenously-treated 5-HT showed tonic inward currents on pacemaker currents in ICC under the voltage-clamp mode in a dose-dependent manner.