Copyright © 2005, European Society of Cardiology
Angiotensin II and cell-matrix adhesion: PKC
is essential
Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Universität Freiburg, Albertstrasse 25, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
* Tel.: +49 761 203 5313; fax: +49 761 203 5318. Email address: lutz.hein@pharmakol.uni-freiburg.de
Received 3 May 2005; accepted 4 May 2005
| The first 10% of the full text of this article appears below. |
See article by Stawowy et al. (pages 50–59) in this issue.
Angiotensin II (Ang II) is an essential regulator of homeostasis and response to pathological stimuli in the cardiovascular system. In addition to its short- and long-term hemodynamic effects, Ang II plays an important role in cardiovascular remodeling in hypertension, myocardial infarction and chronic heart failure. In recent years, great efforts have been made to identify specific intracellular signaling pathways that are activated in cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts during the process of ventricular remodeling. Despite significant progress, the precise role of individual pathways and their relevance in cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts are only partly understood.