Corresponding authorsFibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) has been implicated in various signaling processes which control embryonic growth and differentiation, adult physiology and pathology. To analyze the in vivo functions of this signaling molecule, the FGF-2 gene was inactivated by homologous recombination in mouse embryonic stem cells. FGF-2-deficient mice are viable, but display cerebral cortex defects at birth. Bromodeoxyuridine pulse labeling of embryos showed that proliferation of neuronal progenitors is normal, whereas a fraction of them fail to colonize their target layers in the cerebral cortex. A corresponding reduction in parvalbumin-positive neurons is observed in adult cortical layers. Neuronal defects are not limited to the cerebral cortex, as ectopic parvalbumin-positive neurons are present in the hippocampal commissure and neuronal deficiencies are observed in the cervical spinal cord. Physiological studies showed that FGF-2-deficient adult mice are hypotensive. They respond normally to angiotensin II-induced hypertension, whereas neural regulation of blood pressure by the baroreceptor reflex is impaired. The present genetic study establishes that FGF-2 participates in controlling fates, migration and differentiation of neuronal cells, whereas it is not essential for their proliferation. The observed autonomic dysfunction in FGF-2-deficient adult mice uncovers more general roles in neural development and function.

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The split hydronephrotic kidney preparation was used to directly observe the effects of locally applied dopamine on the in vivo diameters of renal vessels. Dopamine (1 X 10(-6) to 3 X 10(-5) M) produced a concentration-dependent dilation of the arcuate and interlobular arteries and afferent arterioles. Efferent arterioles near the glomeruli also dilated to dopamine but the dilation was less than that of the preglomerular vessels. Higher dopamine concentrations (3 X 10(-4) and 1 X 10(-3) M) produced more variable effects, with a tendency for the arcuate and interlobular arteries and the afferent and efferent arterioles away from the glomeruli to decrease in diameter. After pretreatment with haloperidol, dopamine (1 X 10(-6) to 1 X 10(-4) M) did not dilate any pre- or postglomerular vascular segment, but the tendency for pre- and postglomerular constrictions with higher dopamine concentrations were not abolished. Pretreatment with phentolamine and propranolol enhanced the dilator response of the pre- and postglomerular vessels (except the afferent arterioles near glomeruli and efferent arterioles near welling points) to dopamine (3 X 10(-5) and 1 X 10(-4) M), and abolished the reductions in diameter produced by the high dopamine levels. These data indicate that the dilator effect of dopamine is mediated by interactions with specific dopaminergic receptors, while alpha and beta adrenergic receptors appear to mediate a constrictor influence observed with high dopamine concentrations. The overall effect of dopamine on the renal vessel diameters thus appears to depend on the balance of dilator and constrictor stimuli mediated by multiple receptors.

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) has unique effects on the renal vasculature, in that it dilates preglomerular vessels and constricts efferent arterioles. In the present study we aimed to characterize the natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR) subtypes, which mediate the renovascular effects of ANP, using in vivo microscopy in the split hydronephrotic kidney model of rats. ANP (10(-9) and 3.10(-9)), which binds to NPR-A and NPR-C, dilated preglomerular vessels and constricted efferent arterioles similarly to that found in previous studies. C-type natriuretic peptide (10(-9) to 10(-7)), which binds to NPR-B and NPR-C, dilated pre- and postglomerular vessels and profoundly increased glomerular blood flow. A specific ligand of NPR-C, C-ANP (des-[Gln18,Ser19,Gly20,Leu21,Gly22]ANP 4-23-NH2, 10(-9) to 10(-7)) was devoid of vascular effects. The ANP antagonist A71915 (10(-9) to 10(-6)) induced moderate dilation in renal vessels possibly due to some agonistic activity on NPR-B, ANP-induced preglomerular vasodilation was attenuated by A71915 (10(-6)) to 36 +/- 6% of the initial response, whereas efferent vasoconstriction was completely abolished (-4 +/- 4% of initial response). Our results indicate that ANP dilates preglomerular vessels and constricts efferent arterioles through NPR-A, both responses being antagonized by A71915 with different potencies. Furthermore, our data show that in the rat renal microcirculation stimulation of NPR-B results in vasodilation only, whereas NPR-C does not mediate vascular responses.

The microcirculation of the renal papilla was investigated in 32 vasa recta of Wistar rats. Using fluorescence microscopy in combination with a high-sensitivity television system we measured the velocity and flux of fluorescent-tagged erythrocytes in descending (DVR) and ascending vasa recta (AVR). After staining the plasma with fluorescent high molecular weight dextran we determined the diameters of DVR and AVR. Red cell flux (Qrbc) was determined from the ratio of the frequency of fluorescent-tagged red cells detected per unit time (fFITC) to the number of fluorescent-tagged red cells per nanoliter packed red cells (NFITC). From red cell velocity (Vrbc) and vessel diameter (D) we calculated the volume flow (Vapp). The dynamic hematocrit was directly derived as the ratio of Qrbc to Vapp. During antidiuresis Vrbc was 1.35 +/- 0.15 mm X s-1 (mean +/- SE) in DVR and 0.47 +/- 0.07 mm X s-1 in AVR. Qrbc in the same vessels averaged 3.26 +/- 0.9 and 1.72 +/- 0.35 nl X min-1, respectively. The diameter in DVR was 14.3 +/- 0.9 and in AVR 17.9 +/- 0.9 micron. From these values we calculated a dynamic hematocrit of 26 +/- 4 in DVR and 25 +/- 4% in AVR. The systemic hematocrit was 44 +/- 1%. The dynamic hematocrit in vasa recta represented 59 +/- 9 and 57 +/- 8% of the value in the systemic circulation, respectively.