Tissue Renin-Angiotensin Systems

Recent progress in recombinant DNA technology and the availability of a number of nonpeptide subtype-specific receptor antagonists and of specific antibodies to components of prorenin-renin-angiotensin system (PRAS) have led to rapid advances in the under­ standing of the multifaceted role of angiotensin II, classically known as a peptide hormone of cardiovascular homeostasis. Accumulating evidence sug­ responsible for the regulation gests that, in addition to its role in salt and water metabolism, PRAS may control other physiological functions including neurosecretion, cellular proliferation, hypertrophy and/or differentiation, angiogenesis and gonadal function. At the same time, it is becoming evident that the specialized functions of endocrine glands are not only regulated by trophic hormones but also by locally produced paracrine/autocrine factors. The concept is emerging that tissue PRAS is one such locally active regulatory system. With more and more reproductive and endocrine organs being added to the list of tissues that contain a local tissue PRAS, questions are being raised by the reproductive biologists and endocrinologists as to the role of such systems in the tissues of their interest. On the other hand, the cardiovascular and renovascular physiologists are wondering about the relevance of PRAS in various peripheral tissues compared to those of the classical cardiovascular organs. It appeared, therefore, that the time was ripe for a meeting to consider a merger of interest in these two important but heretofore distinct areas of physiology.

Inhalt

Section A Frontiers in Reproductive Physiology.- 1. The Mammalian Pineal Gland and Reproduction: Controversies and Strategies for Future Research.- 2. Neuroendocrine Control of Reproduction.- 3. Endocrine, Paracrine and Autocrine Regulation of Testicular Steroidogenesis.- 4. Gonadotrophin Control of Testicular Germ Cell Development.- 5. Current Aspects of Autocrine and Paracrine Regulation of Spermatogenesis.- 6. Role of the Epididymis in Mediating Changes in the Male Gamete during Maturation.- 7. Ovarian Follicular Growth, Ovulation and Atresia: Endocrine, Paracrine and Autocrine Regulation.- 8. Ovulation as a Tissue Remodelling Process: Proteolysis and Cumulus Expansion.- Section B Prorenin-Renin-Angiotensin System: Novel Aspects and Recent Advances.- 9. Biochemistry and Cell Biology of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme and Converting Enzyme Inhibitors.- 10. Angiotensin II Receptors: Structural and Functional Considerations.- 11. The Angiotensin Type 1 and Type 2 Receptor Families: Siblings or Cousins?.- 12. Angiotensin II in Cell Growth and Matrix Production.- 13. Angiotensin as a Renal Growth Promoting Factor.- 14. The Adrenal Renin/Angiotensin System.- 15. The Tissue Renin-Angiotensin System in the Female Reproductive Tissues: A Review.- 16. Relevance of the Tissue Prorenin-Renin-Angiotensin System to Male Reproductive Physiology.- Section C Proceedings of the Symposium on Tissue Prorenin-Renin-Angiotensin Systems: Local Regulatory Actions in Reproductive and Endocrine Organs Hamburg, Germany, July 1-16, 1994.- 17. Role of the Cardiac Renin-Angiotensin System in Human Heart Failure.- 18. Transcriptional Silencer in Intron I of the Rat Renin Gene.- 19. In Field-Stimulated Guinea-Pig Atria an AT1-Receptor Mediated Increase of Noradrenaline Release by Angiotensin II Is Seen only in the Presence of Prejunctional Autoinhibition.- 20. Association between the Renin Angiotensin System and Anaphylaxis.- 21. Cloning, Expression and Regulation of Angiotensin II Receptors.- 22. The Relationship between the Adrenal Tissue Renin-Angiotensin System, Internalization of the Type I Angiotensin II Receptor (AT1) and Angiotensin II Function in the Rat Adrenal Zona Glomerulosa Cell.- 23. AT1 Receptors and Angiotensin Actions in the Brain and Neuronal Cultures of Normotensive and Hypertensive Rats.- 24. Angiotensin Peptides in the Brain.- 25. Brain Angiotensin and the Female Reproductive Cycle.- 26. Is Estrogen-Induced Pituitary Hyperplasia and Hyperprolactinaemia Mediated by Angiotensin II?.- 27. The Ovarian Renin-Angiotensin System: A Paracrine-Intracrine Regulator of Ovarian Function.- 28. The Pathophysiology of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS): A Proposal Role of the Ovarian Derived Prorenin to Angiotensin Cascade (ODPAC).- 29. Paracrine Regulation of the Bovine Ovarian Prorenin-Renin-Angiotensin-System.- 30. Regulation of Angiotensin II Receptor Expression in Ovarian Follicles: A Review.- 31. Regulation of Utero-Placental Prorenin.- 32. The Choriodecidual Renin Controversy Revisited.- 33. Coda: Tissue Renin-Angiotensin Systems, 1994.