by Chi Fung Yeung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-120). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / abstract --- p.1 / table of contents --- p.3 / acknowledgments --- p.8 / declaration --- p.9 / list of figures and tables --- p.10 / list of abbreviations --- p.13 / Chapter chapter 1- --- general introduction --- p.15 / Chapter 1.1 --- VASOACTIVE PEPTIDES --- p.18 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- HISTORICAL BACKGROUND --- p.18 / Chapter 1.1.1.1 --- Adrenomedullin --- p.20 / Chapter 1.1.1.2 --- Calcitonin gene-related peptide --- p.21 / Chapter 1.1.1.3 --- Endothelin-3 --- p.22 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- "SYNTHESIS AND RELEASE OF ADRENOMEDULLIN, CALCITONIN GENE RELATED PEPTIDE AND ENDOTHELINS" / Chapter 1.1.2.1 --- SYNTHESIS AND RELEASE OF Adrenomeduulin --- p.24 / Chapter 1.1.2.2 --- SYNTHESIS AND RELEASE OF calcitonin gene related peptide --- p.25 / Chapter 1.1.2.3 --- SYNTHESIS AND RELEASE OF ENDOTHELINS --- p.25 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- "ADRENOMEDULLIN, CALCITONIN GENE RELATED PEPTIDE AND ENDOTHELINS IN THE CNS" --- p.26 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- "RECEPTORS OF ADRENOMEDULLIN, CALCITONIN GENE RELATED PEPTIDE AND ENDOTHELINS AND SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION" --- p.27 / Chapter 1.1.5 --- "BIOLOGICAL ACTIONS OF ADRENOMEDULLIN, CALCITONIN GENE RELATED PEPTIDE AND ENDOTHELINS" / Chapter 1.1.5.1 --- BIOLOGICAL ACTIONS OF ADRENOMEDULLIN --- p.30 / Chapter 1.1.5.1.1 --- haemodynamic effects of adrenomedullin --- p.30 / Chapter 1.1.5.1.2 --- Renal effects of Adrenomedullin --- p.31 / Chapter 1.1.5.1.3 --- Endocrine effects of Adrenomedullin --- p.31 / Chapter 1.1.5.1.4 --- Central effects of Adrenomedullin --- p.32 / Chapter 1.1.5.2 --- CALCITONIN GENE RELATED PEPTIDE / Chapter 1.1.5.2.1 --- haemodynamic effects of calcitonin gene related peptide --- p.33 / Chapter 1.1.5.2.2 --- Renal effects of calcitonin gene related peptide --- p.34 / Chapter 1.1.5.2.3 --- Endocrine effects of calcitonin gene related peptide --- p.34 / Chapter 1.1.5.2.4 --- Central effects of calcitonin gene related peptide --- p.35 / Chapter 1.1.5.3 --- ENDOTHELINS / Chapter 1.1.5.3.1 --- haemodyamic effects of endothelins --- p.36 / Chapter 1.1.5.3.2 --- Renal effects of Endothelins --- p.36 / Chapter 1.1.5.3.3 --- endocrine effects of endothelins --- p.37 / Chapter 1.1.5.3.4 --- Central effects of Endothelins --- p.37 / Chapter 1.1.6. --- PROLIFERATIVE OR ANTI-PROLIFERATIVE EFFECTS --- p.38 / Chapter 1.1.7 --- CLINICAL RELEVANCE OF VASOACTIVE PEPTIDES / Chapter 1.1.7.1 --- Clinical relevance of Adrenomedullin --- p.39 / Chapter 1.1.7.2 --- Clinical relevance of calcitonin gene related peptide --- p.40 / Chapter 1.1.7.3 --- Clinical relevance of Endothelins --- p.41 / Chapter 1.2 --- ASTROCYTES / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Historical background and astrocyte morphology --- p.42 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Physiological roles of astrocytes --- p.44 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Pathology of astrocytes --- p.45 / Chapter 1.3 --- NEUROPEPTIDE RECEPTORS AND ASTROCYTES / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Neuropeptide receptors on astrocytes --- p.47 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Consequences of receptor activation --- p.49 / Chapter 1.4 --- AIMS OF THE THESIS --- p.50 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- "GENERAL MATERIALS AND METHODS, AND DATA ANALYSIS" / Chapter 2.1 --- MATERIALS / Chapter 2.1.1 --- ANIMALS --- p.54 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- PEPTIDE HORMONES --- p.54 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- ISOTOPES AND RADIOIMMUNOASSAY KITS --- p.54 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- CULTURE MATERIALS AND CHEMICALS --- p.55 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- PREPARATION OF MATERIALS / Chapter 2.1.5.1 --- Preparation of primary cultures of astrocytes --- p.55 / Chapter 2.1.5.2 --- Preparation of medium and binding buffer --- p.56 / Chapter 2.1.5.3 --- Preparation of 125I-labelled vasoactive peptides --- p.56 / Chapter 2.1.6 --- MEASUREMENT OF CELLULAR CYCLIC AMP --- p.57 / Chapter 2.1.7 --- DETERMINATION OF PROTEIN CONTENT OF CULTURED ASTROCYTES --- p.60 / Chapter 2.2 --- METHODS --- p.61 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- LIGAND BINDING: MEASUREMENT OF 125I-AM AND 125I-CGRP BINDING / Chapter 2.2.1.1 --- Binding kinetics --- p.61 / Chapter 2.2.1.2 --- Determination of specific binding of 125I-AM and 125I-CGRP --- p.61 / Chapter 2.2.1.3 --- Competition binding studies --- p.62 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- "BIOCHEMICAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ET3, AM, CGRP AND PKC-ANALOG" / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- Determination of the production of cAMP in response to AM and CGRP --- p.62 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- Determination of the effect of PMA on AM and CGRP-dependent CAMP production --- p.63 / Chapter 2.2.2.3 --- Determination of the effect of the phorbol esters on AM and CGRP-dependent cAMP production --- p.63 / Chapter 2.2.2.4 --- Elucidation of antagonistic effect of staurosporine and Ro31-8220 --- p.64 / Chapter 2.2.2.5 --- Determination of the effects of ET-3 on AM and CGRP- dependent CAMP accumulation --- p.64 / Chapter 2.2.2.6 --- Determination of the effects of PKC inhIBition on ET-3 suppression of AM- and CGRP-induced CAMP responses --- p.64 / Chapter 2.2.2.7 --- Elucidation of antagonistic effect of cycloheximide --- p.65 / Chapter 2.3 --- STATISTIC ANALYSIS --- p.65 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- RESULTS / Chapter 3.1 --- BINDING KINETICS OF 125I-AM AND 125I-CGRP --- p.68 / Chapter 3.2 --- SPECIFIC BINDING OF 125I-AM AND 125I-CGRP --- p.68 / Chapter 3.3 --- COMPETITION BINDING --- p.68 / Chapter 3.4 --- DOSE RESPONSE OF ADRENOMEDULLIN AND CGRP- STIMULATED CAMP PRODUCTION --- p.69 / Chapter 3.5 --- EFFECTS OF PHORBOL ESTERS ON AM AND CGRP DEPENDENT CAMP ACCUMULATION --- p.69 / Chapter 3.6 --- EFFECT OF PMA ON AM AND CGRP-DEPENDENT CAMP ACCUMULATION --- p.70 / Chapter 3.7 --- EFFECT OF ET-3 ON AM AND CGRP-DEPENDENT CAMP ACCUMULATION --- p.70 / Chapter 3.8 --- "THE EFFECTS OF STAUROSPORINE, RO 31-8220" --- p.71 / Chapter 3.9 --- EFFECT OF CYCLOHEXIMIDE ON THE SUPPRESSIVE ACTION OF ET3 --- p.72 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- DISCUSSION --- p.73 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- GENERAL CONCLUSION --- p.80 / REFERENCES --- p.83 / APPENDIX-PUBLISHED PAPER