ABSTRACT
Local tissue renin-angiotensin system (RAS), located within a wide variety of organs, performs important paracrine, autocrine and intracrine functions independent from the circulating RAS. The effects of circulating endocrine RAS controlling blood pressure, blood fl ow, fl uid volume, hemodynamic status, and electrolyte balance have been well established in atherosclerosis formation (Ferrario and Strawn 2006). Genetic manipulation of RAS receptors has demonstrated that AT1a receptor (AT1R) is profoundly involved in experimental atherosclerosis (Daugherty et al. 2010). RAS and its pharmacological modulators have a signifi cant role in the context of endothelial cell damage and regenerating vascular cells (Becher et
1Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Departments of Internal Medicine and Hematology, 06100, Ankara, Turkey. E-mail: ichaznedaroglu@gmail.com 2Ankara Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital, Departments of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, 06100, Ankara, Turkey. E-mail: yavuzbeyaz@yahoo.com *Corresponding author
al. 2011). However there is still a need for elucidating the functional interrelationships between local tissue RASs and vascular endothelium. The aim of this chapter is to outline interactions of circulating and local angiotensin systems, particularly local bone marrow RAS, in the vascular pathobiological microenvironment.
