Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026

Assessing Myogenic Response and Vasoactivity In Resistance Mesenteric Arteries Using Pressure Myography
Published on: July 6, 2015
Prostaglandin E2 modulation of blood pressure homeostasis: studies in rodent models
Christina E Swan1, Richard M Breyer
1Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-2372, USA.
Abstract:
Hypertension is a well established risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and is the leading cause of chronic kidney failure. Although a number of pharmacologic agents are available for the treatment of hypertension including agents that affect the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), unmet needs in the treatment of hypertension suggest that identification of novel pharmacological targets would be an important healthcare goal. One potential target is prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), a potent lipid mediator with a diverse and sometimes opposing range of biological effects. PGE(2) signals through four subtypes of G-protein coupled receptors designated EP1 through EP4. PGE(2) functions primarily as a vasodepressor; under certain conditions PGE(2) administration mediates vasopressor activity. This review focuses on the current understanding of the roles of PGE(2) receptors in vascular reactivity, hypertension and end-organ damage.
Related Concept Videos
Hormonal Regulation of Blood Pressure
Epinephrine and Norepinephrine
The adrenal medulla releases epinephrine and norepinephrine, catecholamines that enhance and extend the sympathetic or "fight or flight" physiological response. These hormones escalate heart rate and the force of contraction while...
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Prostacyclin Receptor Agonists
These agonists bind to the IPR receptor situated on the plasma membrane of the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. This binding triggers a cascade of reactions known as the GS-AC-cAMP-PKA pathway. This pathway results in the relaxation of smooth muscle...
Hypertension and Regulation of Blood Pressure
Hormonal Regulation
Hypertension II: Pathophysiology
Antihypertensive Drugs: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors

