Cardiovascular disorders are responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality. Although the underlying mechanisms responsible for the development and progression of these disorders is likely to be multiple, changes in the structure and function of resistance arteries is believed to be of prime importance. Research in CAs group focuses on elucidating how these may be changed in both health and disease.
It is well established that responses of small arteries to changes in intravascular pressure, so called myogenic responsiveness, play an extremely important role in autoregulation of blood flow. However, arteries embedded in contracting muscle (e.g. coronary, uterine) also experience signifincat changes in extravascular pressure due to contraction of the muscle itself. Clares group is the first to directly investigate the effect of this on arterial responsiveness. The influence of pregnacy, diabetes and/or coronary artery disease on responses is also studied.
Caveolae are small membraneous invaginations which are pressent in a variety of cell types. Although they are believed to play an important role in a number of cellular processes many of their effects are poorly understood. Other projects in the laboratory focus on elucidating effects of caveolae ablation on arterial contractility.
Further collaborative projects focus on elucidation of the role of PMCAs in the resistance vasculature.
Current collaborators include:
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