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Contact
Dr. E.T. van Bavel
Prof.Dr.Ir.J.A.E.Spaan
Key Publications
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Arterioles form the main site of control of organ perfusion. This control is accomplished by both structural adaptation and vascular smooth muscle tone. Within the Functional Vascular Biology group of the Medical Physics department, research is devoted to unraveling the cellular mechanisms of structural and functional control, their interaction, and their consequences for organ perfusion. We have special interests in the effects of pressure and flow on arterioles, the coronary circulation and the human microvasculature in pre-eclampsia. We combine work at the molecular level (e.g. calcium imaging, MMP zymography) with studies on isolated arterioles mounted in perfusion myographs. In addition, perfused arterioles and large arteries are kept in culture to directly monitor the remodeling process. Experimental data are incorporated in computer models of branching vascular networks in order to correlate isolated vessel behavior with tissue perfusion. |
