Figure 1

Organ culture induced changes in endothelium-derived dilatory mediators Concentration-dependent dilatations to ACh in the U46619-precontracted rat mesenteric artery branch, before and after 20 h of organ culture. (a) NO-mediated relaxation, studied in the presence of 10 μM indomethacin, 50 nM charybdotoxin and 1 μM apamin, was decreased after culture, n = 10, P < 0.0001. (b) Prostaglandin-mediated relaxation, studied in the presence of charybdotoxin 50 nM apamin 1 μM and L-NOARG 0.1 mM was abolished after organ culture, n = 10, P < 0.0001. (c) EDHF-mediated relaxation, studied in the presence of indomethacin and L-NOARG, did not change after organ culture, n = 10, P = n.s. (d) The total dilatory response to ACh was unaltered by organ culture, n = 10, P = n.s. Data are shown as means ± S.E.M. of 10 experiments.