title: Endothelin-1 and endothelin receptors in the basilar artery of the capybara.
abstract: Little is known about cerebral vasculature of capybara, which seems may serve as a natural model of studying changes in cerebral circulation due to internal carotid artery atrophy at animal sexual maturation. This is the first study of the light- and electron-immunocytochemical localisation of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and ETA and ETB endothelin receptors in the basilar artery of capybaras (6 to 12-month-old females and males) using an ExtrAvidin detection method. All animals examined showed similar patterns of immunoreactivity. Immunoreactivity for ET-1 was detected in the endothelium and adventitial fibroblasts, whilst immunoreactivity for ETA and ETB receptors was present in the endothelium, vascular smooth muscle, perivascular nerves and fibroblasts. In endothelial cells immunoreactivity to ET-1 was pronounced in the cytoplasm or on the granular endoplasmic reticulum. Similar patterns of immunolabelling were observed for ETA and ETB receptors, though cytoplasmic location of clusters of immunoprecipitate seems dominant. These results suggest that the endothelin system is present throughout the wall of the basilar artery of capybara.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology (Royal Free Campus), Royal Free and University College Medical School, University College London, Rowland Hill Street, London, UK, NW3 2PF, a.loesch@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loesch
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gajkowska
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Dashwood
authors.forename: Emerson T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Fioretto
authors.forename: Karina M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Gagliardo
authors.forename: Ana R De
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Antonio A C M
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000166:cytology*; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A / Q000032:analysis*; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B / Q000032:analysis*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B