Institute of Cardiovascular Physiology-
Prof. Dr. Rudi Busse

Expertise

Signal Transduction

Determination of potein-protein-interactions in vascular cells, cell lines and blood cells
Design and development of specific biologicals for the interference with signal transduction cascades: cell permeable peptides, siRNA systems, adenoviral systems.

Inflammation

Investigations of the role of NADPH oxidases and NO synthases in the cellular homeostasis, physiology and pathophysiology.
Development and testing of NADPH oxidase inhibitors in vitro and in vivo
Identification of pro- and antiinflammatory properties of cytochrome P450-dependent metabolites of arachidonic acid.
Determination of the mechanism and of the physiological significance of the signal transduction elicited by the angiotensin converting enzyme. Development of specific activators of this system.

Cancer

Profound knowledge for the investigation of angiogenesis. Analysis of pro- and anti-angiogenic compounds in vitro, in model systems and in vivo.
Determination of migration of endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells and cell lines. Studies on the underlying mechanism, development of specific inhibitors of cell migration.
Investigations on the role of cytochrome P450 metabolites in the cell cycle.

Methods

Molecular Cloning, mutagenesis, transformation, transfection, infection using adenoviral and plasmid based technology.
Cell isolation using FACS
Quantification of RNA and DNA using Real time PCR
Design and production of adenovirus
Immunhistochemistry, fluorescence and cytology
Immunoprecipitation, Westernblot analysis
Radioactive labeling of native and cultured cells to study protein phosphorylation
In Gel assays
Confocal laser scanning microscopy
Luciferase assays (reporter gene assays)
Gel-Shift assays / electrophoretic mobility shift assays: DNA- / RNA- protein-interaction
Site-directed mutagenesis
Assays to study radical production in cells and tissues
Assays to study oxidative stress in serum samples, cells and tissue
Radioimmuno assays for second messengers (cGMP, cAMP)
Zymography (Assay for matrix-metallo-proteinase activity)
Migration assay (Scratch wound assay, Boyden chamber assay)
Angiogenesis assays (Matrigel assay, chicken egg chorion-allantois assay)
Animal models of angiogenesis (matri gel plug assay)
Animal models of renovascular hypertension in mice (clip model)
Application of substances and acquisition of physiological parameters in life mice
Transgenic mouse strains
Isolation of blood cells, thrombocytes, stem cells and tissue stem cells
Determination of endothelium-dependent vasodilation in isolated arteries, arterioles and organs
Analysis of thrombocyte function
Electrophysiological studies in single cells (patch clamp) und organs (sharp microelectrodes)
Determination of intracellular calcium concentrations in single cells and organs (fluorimetry)