Cannulation of the common carotid artery for chronic, continuous radiotelemetric recording of aortic hemodynamic properties in mice is a highly invasive recovery surgery. Radiotelemetric recording, by its continuous nature, gives the most accurate measurements of hemodynamic variables in experimental animals, and is widely used in the study of cardiovascular diseases including hypertension. The American Heart Association has recommended data acquisition by radiotelemetric recording but did not provide guidelines regarding postoperative analgesic support.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPre-eclampsia, an acute complication of human pregnancy, is associated within complete physiological modification of decidual spiral arteries. This is thought to promote oxidative stress from perfusion/reperfusion of the placenta and to restrict placental and fetal growth. Alymphoid (genotype Rag2(-/-)/Il2rg(-/-)) mice, sufficient in dendritic and myeloid cell functions, lack spiral arterial modification with individual spiral arteries having ~1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA drop in mean arterial pressure (MAP) characterizes early, normal pregnancies of humans and of inbred mice, species with hemochorial placentation. Murine MAP, assessed by continuous radiotelemetry, falls from implantation to Gestation Day 9 (GD9) and then recovers. The change in the trajectory of mouse MAP after GD9 coincides with full maturity of the placenta and onset of its circulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe pathophysiology of gestational hypertensive disorders is incompletely defined. T lymphocytes are implicated. Both T and natural killer (NK) cells express RAS and, in implantation sites, NK cells are highly enriched.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReproductive success in mammals involves coordinated changes in the immune and cardiovascular as well as in the neuroendocrine and reproductive systems. This review addresses studies that identify potential links for NK cells and T cells with the local and systemic cardiovascular adaptations of pregnancy. The studies reviewed have utilized immunohistochemisty and in vivo analyses of vascular parameters by ultrasound, chronic monitoring of hemodynamics via radiotelemetric recording and intravital microscopy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMaternal cardiovascular adaptations occur in normal pregnancy, systemically, and within the uterus. In humans, gestational control of blood pressure is clinically important. Transient structural remodeling of endometrial spiral arteries normally occurs in human and mouse pregnancies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF