Thesis (PhD (Biomedical Sciences. Medical Physiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Nitric oxide (NO) is a major signaling molecule in the heart with various biological
effects. The putative role of NO as a cardioprotective agent against ischaemiareperfusion
injury and in ischaemic preconditioning (IP) has made it one of the fastest
growing fields in basic cardiovascular research. However, NO may also be
associated with harmful effects, especially when released in excessive amounts.
Little is known about the relative contributions to NO-production by the cardiac
microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) and the adjacent cardiomyocytes.
Furthermore, the respective roles of endothelial NOS (eNOS) and inducible NOS
(iNOS) are not well characterized in these cell types, particularly in hypoxia. In order
to gain a better understanding of the role of NO in the hypoxic/ischaemic heart, the
aims of this study were to: (1) develop an isolated cardiomyocyte model in which
hypoxia and early IP can be induced and the role of NO assessed; (2) measure NOproduction
in cardiomyocytes and CMECs under baseline and hypoxic conditions;
and (3) evaluate the expression, regulation and activation of eNOS and iNOS in
cardiomyocytes and CMECs (baseline and hypoxia) and establish the relationship
with NO-production under these conditions. Cardiomyocytes isolated from adult rat
hearts and commercially purchased rat CMECs were used as cell models.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/1184 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Strijdom, Hans |
| Contributors | Lochner, Amanda, Moolman, Johan, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Biomedical Sciences. Medical Physiology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 4058212 bytes, application/pdf |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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