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Updated: Oct 3, 2026

Two-photon Imaging of Intracellular Ca2+ Handling and Nitric Oxide Production in Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells of an Isolated Rat Aorta
Published on: June 10, 2015
Nitric oxide synthase activity in adrenocorticotrophin-induced hypertension in the rat
S W Turner1, G J Mangos, J A Whitworth
1Department of Medicine, The St George Hospital, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Abstract:
1. The nitric oxide (NO) system has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various forms of experimental hypertension. We studied nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity as a possible indicator of NO production in adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH)-induced hypertension in the rat. 2. Haemodynamic, metabolic and biochemical parameters were examined in sham (saline)- and ACTH (100 microg/kg per day)-treated male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 20). 3. Adrenocorticotrophin treatment increased systolic blood pressure, serum corticosterone, adrenal NOS activity and adrenal nitrate and nitrite concentrations and decreased bodyweight and plasma nitrate/nitrite. 4. Previous observations of diminished NO production in ACTH- and corticosterone-induced hypertension in the rat were confirmed, but could not be explained by reduced NOS activity in the present study.
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