550 Hypertension September 2018 sensors in a complex network that links the extracellular
matrix (ECM), the cytoskeleton, the sarcomere, Ca2+-handling proteins, and the nucleus. 13 …

Myocardial fibrosis is recognized as the pathologic entity of extracellular matrix remodeling.
Diffuse, reactive fibrosis is being increasingly recognized in a variety of conditions despite …

Background Myocardial fibrosis is a hallmark of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and a
proposed substrate for arrhythmias and heart failure. In animal models, profibrotic genetic …

Background—Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a pleiotropic
monocarboxypeptidase capable of metabolizing several peptide substrates. We …

Alterations of the structure and composition of cardio-myocyte and noncardiomyocyte
compartments of the myocardium appear to play a central role in the pathogenesis of heart …

Background—Chronic pressure overload (such as arterial hypertension) may cause left
ventricular (LV) remodeling, alterations in cardiac function, and the development of diastolic …

Background—Metabolic and vascular disturbances contribute to diabetic cardiomyopathy,
but the role of interstitial fibrosis in early disease is unproven. We sought to assess the …

The spectrum of the cardiac complications of arterial hypertension includes heart failure
(HF), sudden death, and cardiac dysrhythmias, as well as the exacerbation of coincidental …

Collagen production in the adult heart is thought to be regulated by the fibroblast, although
cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells also express multiple collagen mRNAs. Molecular …

Background—By promoting salt and water excretion, the corin and the atrial natriuretic
peptide (ANP) system should help to maintain fluid balance in heart failure. Yet, the …