Until recently, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system has been considered a systemic endocrine hormonal system exclusively. It is now known that each component of the renin-angiotensin system is produced, synthesized and indeed, present in many organisms including the heart and vessels. This volume presents the most recent clinical and laboratory experiences of the leading physicians and investigators in the field of the local cardiac renin-angiotensin aldosterone system.Cardiovascular, renal and hypertension oriented physicians, investigators and scientists would find this book of interest.Edward D. Frohlich, M.D., M.A.C.P, F.A.C.C., is the Alton Ochsner Distinguished Scientist at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is also Professor of Medicine and of Physiology at Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, and Clinical Professor of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology at Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans. He is past Editor-in-Chief of the American Heart Association journal HYPERTENSION.Richard N. Re, M.D., is the Section Head, Hypertension at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is also Ochsner's Scientific Director of Research.

Are Local Renin¿Angiotensin Systems the Focal Points for Understanding Salt Sensitivity in Hypertension?.- Newer Insights into the Biochemical Physiology of the Renin¿Angiotensin System: Role of Angiotensin-(1-7), Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2, and Angiotensin-(1-12).- Renin, Prorenin, and the (Pro)renin Receptor.- Intracellular Accumulation and Nuclear Trafficking of Angiotensin II and the Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor.- Pathophysiologic Implications of Cell Swelling in the Failing Heart: Influence of Intracrine and Extracellular Renin¿Angiotensin Systems.- Exploiting Rat Genetics to Investigate Hypertensive End-Organ Damage.- Alternative Renin Transcripts and Functions of Cytoplasmatic Renin.- Novel Aspects of the Cardiac Renin¿Angiotensin System.- Intracrine Function from Angiotensin to Stem Cells.- Renin Cell Identity and Homeostasis.- Role of Renal Aminopeptidases and Angiotensin Type-2 (AT2) Receptors in Sodium Excretion and Hypertension.- Intrarenal Angiotensin II Augmentation in Hypertension.- Collecting Duct Renin: A Critical Linkin Angiotensin II-Dependent Hypertension.- Renin¿Angiotensin¿Aldosterone System and Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis in Hypertensive Heart Disease.- Upregulation of Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor (agtr2) Attenuates Atherosclerotic Lesion Formation and Enhances Apoptosis in the LDL Receptor Knockout Mice Fed High Cholesterol Diet.- Salt and Heart: RAAS Involvement.- Cardiac Effects of Aldosterone, the Bad, but Is There Also a Good?.