Hung Hoi Yan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-160). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.v / PUBLICATIONS BASED ON THE WORK IN THIS THESIS --- p.vi / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.vii / ABBREVIATIONS --- p.ix / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Prostanoids and vasoconstriction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- EP3 receptors --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- EP1 receptors --- p.16 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- FP receptors --- p.23 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- TP receptors --- p.30 / Chapter 1.2 --- Role of Ca2+ in vascular smooth muscle contraction --- p.36 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Ca2+ as second messenger --- p.36 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Ca2+ sensitization --- p.41 / Chapter 1.3 --- Aim of study --- p.48 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- METHODS AND MATERIALS --- p.49 / Chapter 2.1 --- Experiments with rat femoral artery --- p.49 / Chapter 2.2 --- Experiments with guinea-pig trachea --- p.56 / Chapter 2.3 --- Materials --- p.59 / Chapter 2.4 --- Data analysis --- p.61 / Chapter 2.5 --- Measurement of rat knee joint blood flow --- p.62 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- RESULTS --- p.68 / Chapter 3.1 --- Effects of EP3 agonists and other vasoactive agents on the rat femoral artery preparation --- p.68 / Chapter 3.2 --- Interactions between EP3 agonists and other vasoactive agents --- p.69 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Interactions with phenylephrine --- p.69 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Interactions with KCl --- p.71 / Chapter 3.3 --- Effect of nifedipine --- p.72 / Chapter 3.4 --- Effects of Rho-kinase inhibitors --- p.73 / Chapter 3.5 --- Effect of EP1 receptor antagonist --- p.76 / Chapter 3.6 --- Other properties of the rat femoral artery --- p.77 / Chapter 3.8 --- Effect of sulprostone on blood flow of rat knee joint --- p.79 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- DISCUSSION --- p.118 / Chapter 4.1 --- Effect of PGE analogues on rat femoral artery --- p.118 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Prostanoid receptor (s) responsible for the contractile effects --- p.118 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Prostanoid Receptors involved in the synergism --- p.122 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Synergism models --- p.124 / Chapter 4.2 --- Mechanisms of synergistic contractions --- p.126 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Role of Ca2+ influx --- p.126 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Role of Ca2+ sensitization --- p.127 / Chapter 4.3 --- Effect of sulprostone in vivo --- p.132 / Chapter 4.4 --- Conclusion --- p.136 / REFERENCES --- p.138