The focus of the course then shifts to non-muscle cells with emphasis on the regulation of endothelial cell shape. Classes combine didactic presentations and student-lead discussions of current publications. Grades for this course are based on the quality of the student-lead discussions and on a paper to be handed in two weeks after the last lecture. Nitric oxide plays a crucial role in the homeostatic regulation of the cardiovascular, neuronal, and immune systems. The course first focuses on the timing, location, and rates of NO production, as the concentration of NO is the primary determinant of the many chemical reactions that occur in different systems.
Classes combine didactic presentations and student-lead discussions of current publications.
Grades for this course are based on the quality of the student-lead discussions and on a paper to be handed in two weeks after the last lecture. Hypertension, atherosclerosis, and restenosis are vascular diseases that lead to vascular wall remodeling and blood vessel dysfunction. This course discusses the changes in smooth muscle and endothelial cell function that contribute to the pathogenesis of vascular disease. Each of these topics is discussed in the context of atherosclerosis, restenosis, or hypertension allowing similarities and differences in the cell biology leading to these diseases to be compared. Classes combine didactic presentations and student-lead discussions of current publications.