Chan Hoi-Huen. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-123). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.v / Publications --- p.vi / Table of contents --- p.viii / List of Figures --- p.xii / List of Tables --- p.xiv / Abbreviations --- p.xv / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Blood vessels and blood pressure --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Smooth muscle --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Endothelium --- p.3 / Chapter 1.4 --- Vasodilation and Vasoconstriction --- p.5 / Chapter 1.5 --- Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) --- p.6 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Discovery of CGRP --- p.6 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Localization and distribution of CGRP --- p.7 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Structure profile of CGRP --- p.8 / Chapter 1.5.4 --- CGRP and the vascular system --- p.10 / Chapter 1.6 --- Nitric oxide --- p.11 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Production of NO by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) --- p.12 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Actions of NO in smooth muscle --- p.14 / Chapter 1.6.3 --- Synergism with CGRP --- p.14 / Chapter 1.7 --- Other research of CGRP in the laboratory of Professor Ronald R. Fiscus --- p.15 / Chapter 1.8 --- "Aging, diabetes mellitus, sex hormones and cardiovascular system" --- p.16 / Chapter 1.9 --- Aim of study --- p.18 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Methods and materials --- p.19 / Chapter 2.1 --- General experimental methods --- p.19 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Measurement of blood pressure in anaesthetized rats --- p.19 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Tissue bath experiments --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.2.1 --- Preparation of isolated rat aortic rings --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.2.2 --- Measurement of contractile and relaxant responses in the rat aortic rings --- p.21 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Culture of aortic rat vascular smooth muscle cells --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Immunostaining for smooth muscle α-actin in cultured smooth muscle cells --- p.23 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Determination of nitrite levels in smooth muscle cell culture media --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1.6 --- Measurement of protein contents --- p.25 / Chapter 2.1.7 --- Reversed Transcription- Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) --- p.26 / Chapter 2.1.7.1 --- mRNA isolation --- p.26 / Chapter 2.1.7.2 --- Reverse transcription (RT) --- p.27 / Chapter 2.1.7.3 --- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) --- p.27 / Chapter 2.1.7.4 --- Agarose slab gel electrophoresis --- p.29 / Chapter 2.1.7.5 --- Capillary electrophoresis --- p.29 / Chapter 2.2 --- Reagents --- p.30 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Impairment of hypotension to calcitonin gene-related peptide in female rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus or ovariectomy --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.40 / Chapter 3.2 --- Methods --- p.45 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Animal Preparation --- p.45 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Statistical analysis --- p.46 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results --- p.47 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- "Body weight, blood glucose and initial blood pressure" --- p.47 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Hypotensive responses to CGRP in ovariectomized rats --- p.48 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Hypotensive responses to CGRP in diabetic rats --- p.49 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Hypotensive responses to CGRP in rats with diabetes and ovariectomy --- p.50 / Chapter 3.4 --- Discussion --- p.50 / Chapter 3.5 --- Conclusions --- p.56 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Severe impairment of CGRP-induced hypotension in vivo and vasorelaxation in vitro in elderly rats --- p.61 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.61 / Chapter 4.2 --- Methods --- p.64 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Tissue preparation for vascular rings --- p.64 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Vasorelaxation studies in vitro --- p.65 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Animal preparation for in vivo studies --- p.65 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Measurement of hypotensive responses to CGRP --- p.66 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Statistical analysis --- p.66 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results --- p.67 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Effect of age on CGRP-induced vasorelaxations in rings of thoracic aorta and caudal arteries --- p.67 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Effect of age on acetylcholine-induced responses in aortic rings --- p.68 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- CGRP-induced hypotension in young female and male rats --- p.68 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- CGRP-induced hypotension in elderly female and male rats --- p.68 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- CGRP-induced hypotension in elderly female rats with ovariectomy --- p.69 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.69 / Chapter 4.5 --- Conclusions --- p.73 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- "Effects of CGRP on interleukin-Iβ-, lipopolysaccharides- and ginseng extract-induced production of nitrite oxide in vascular smooth muscle cells of elderly rats" --- p.82 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.82 / Chapter 5.2 --- Methods --- p.83 / Chapter 5.2.1. --- Animal model --- p.83 / Chapter 5.2.2. --- Culture of vascular smooth muscle cells --- p.84 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Extraction of total RNA --- p.84 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) --- p.35 / Chapter 5.2.5 --- Capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detector (CE-LIF) --- p.85 / Chapter 5.2.6 --- Determination of nitrite levels in smooth muscle cell culture media --- p.85 / Chapter 5.2.7 --- Measurement of protein contents --- p.86 / Chapter 5.3 --- Results --- p.86 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- "Effects of IL-Iβ, alone and in combination with CGRP, on NO production in young and elderly VSMCs" --- p.86 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- "Effects of LPS, alone and in combination with CGRP, on NO production in young and elderly VSMCs" --- p.89 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- "Effects of ginseng extract, alone and in combination with CGRP, on NO production in VSMCs" --- p.89 / Chapter 5.4 --- Discussion --- p.90 / Chapter 5.5 --- Conclusions --- p.93 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- General discussion and Conclusions --- p.100 / References --- p.104