Biomaterial Database

Effect of age on vascular content of calcitonin gene-related peptide and mesenteric vasodilator nerve activity in the rat. 1993

Y Li, and S P Duckles

Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of California, Irvine 92717.

Effects of age on sensory nerve vasodilator activity and vascular calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) levels were investigated in Fischer 344 rats, aged 6, 20 and 27 months. Increases in pressure to transmural nerve stimulation (TNS) of the isolated perfused mesentery were greater at 27 months compared to 6 or 20 at frequencies of 4 and 8 Hz. With guanethidine to block adrenergic nerves and methoxamine to increase smooth muscle tone, TNS-induced vasodilation of the perfused mesentery decreased with age, reaching statistical significance at a frequency of 4 Hz and 27 months. There were no significant differences with age in concentration-response curves to CGRP in the perfused mesentery, except for the oldest rats at low concentrations of CGRP which showed increased vasodilation. Levels of CGRP-like immunoreactivity (CGRP-LI) in mesenteric and femoral arteries at 27 months were significantly less compared with 6 and 20 months; in the renal artery CGRP-LI was significantly decreased by 20 months. This study suggests that decreased sensory nerve function in aging animals may contribute to age-related alterations in circulatory hemodynamics.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008638	Mesenteric Arteries	Arteries which arise from the abdominal aorta and distribute to most of the intestines.	Arteries, Mesenteric,Artery, Mesenteric,Mesenteric Artery
D009475	Neurons, Afferent	Neurons which conduct NERVE IMPULSES to the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Afferent Neurons,Afferent Neuron,Neuron, Afferent
D011916	Rats, Inbred F344	An inbred strain of rat that is used for general BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH purposes.	Fischer Rats,Rats, Inbred CDF,Rats, Inbred Fischer 344,Rats, F344,Rats, Inbred Fisher 344,CDF Rat, Inbred,CDF Rats, Inbred,F344 Rat,F344 Rat, Inbred,F344 Rats,F344 Rats, Inbred,Inbred CDF Rat,Inbred CDF Rats,Inbred F344 Rat,Inbred F344 Rats,Rat, F344,Rat, Inbred CDF,Rat, Inbred F344,Rats, Fischer
D004558	Electric Stimulation	Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses.	Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D005263	Femoral Artery	The main artery of the thigh, a continuation of the external iliac artery.	Common Femoral Artery,Arteries, Common Femoral,Arteries, Femoral,Artery, Common Femoral,Artery, Femoral,Common Femoral Arteries,Femoral Arteries,Femoral Arteries, Common,Femoral Artery, Common
D000375	Aging	The gradual irreversible changes in structure and function of an organism that occur as a result of the passage of time.	Senescence,Aging, Biological,Biological Aging
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014661	Vasoconstriction	The physiological narrowing of BLOOD VESSELS by contraction of the VASCULAR SMOOTH MUSCLE.	Vasoconstrictions
D014664	Vasodilation	The physiological widening of BLOOD VESSELS by relaxing the underlying VASCULAR SMOOTH MUSCLE.	Vasodilatation,Vasorelaxation,Vascular Endothelium-Dependent Relaxation,Endothelium-Dependent Relaxation, Vascular,Relaxation, Vascular Endothelium-Dependent,Vascular Endothelium Dependent Relaxation