New discovery throws light on blood pressure regulation
Date: 19.7.2011
Researchers have discovered that a protein found in the walls of blood vessels plays a key role in maintaining healthy blood pressure; a discovery that could one day lead to new treatments for people with high blood pressure.
The research, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the British Heart Foundation (BHF), shows that malfunction of the protein -a potassium channel called Kv7.4 - contributes to the maintenance of high blood pressure. The discovery is published in the journal Circulation.
The researchers examined rodents that had high blood pressure and discovered that in some cases the Kv7.4 channels weren't working properly. The problem is the muscle cells overreact to the signals the body is giving to increase blood pressure.
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