Clonal analysis reveals a common progenitor for endothelial, myeloid, and lymphoid precursors in umbilical cord blood.

Rationale: several studies demonstrate that hematopoietic tissues are a source of endothelial progenitor cells, which contribute to newly formed blood vessels during tissue repair in adults. However, it is not clear which cell type in these hematopoietic tissues gives rise to endothelial progenitor cells.

Objective: to identity the origin of endothelial progenitors within the hematopoietic hierarchy and to assess their in vivo revascularization potential.

Investigation of local ACE activity and structural alterations during development of L-NAME-induced hypertension.

Tonic basal release of nitric oxide (NO) by vascular endothelial cells controls blood pressure (BP) in the basal state. In the present study, we showed how serum and local angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) alters during development of hypertension in chronic nitric oxide synthase blockade, a non-renin-dependent model of hypertension. Four experiments were performed in which animals were given N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (50 mg kg(-1)) for 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks.

Investigation of circulatory and tissue ACE activity during development of lead-induced hypertension.

Prolonged exposure to low levels of lead causes systemic hypertension. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain lead-induced hypertension. Recently, the etiological role of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been investigated in this context.

Study of correlation between elevation of blood pressure and tissue ACE activity during development of hypertension in 1K1C rats.

Objectives: This study sought to examine the alteration of local angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity in the aortae, heart, kidney and lung as well as plasma during the development of hypertension in one-kidney, one-clip (1K1C) model, a non-renin-dependent model of renovascular hypertension.

Methods: Experiments were carried out 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after induction of hypertension in male Sprague-Dawley rats. ACE activity was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the structural changes in aortae were investigated by measurement of cross-sectional area (CSA).

Study of antihypertensive mechanism of Tribulus terrestris in 2K1C hypertensive rats: role of tissue ACE activity.

Tribulus terrestris is a natural herb used for treating many diseases including hypertension. According to previous reports, aqueous extract of tribulus fruits may have some antihypertensive effect with an unknown mechanism. The present study investigated the antihypertensive mechanism of tribulus in 2K1C hypertensive rats by measurement of circulatory and local ACE activity in aorta, heart, kidney and lung.