PhD - 1990
Tulane University

Research focuses on the assessment of the functional and molecular mechanisms linking the physiology of hypertension with the altered expression of critical components of the renin angiotensin system - angiotensinogen, angiotensin converting enzyme, renin, and the angiotensin type 1 receptor. The role of the renin angiotensin system in controlling the renal microvasculature tone is a specific area of research. The regulation of both the function (vasoconstriction) and expression (mRNA and protein) of the angiotensin receptor in the renal vasculature is performed following chronic manipulation of circulating angiotensin II levels in mouse gene knockout models for the two subtypes of the angiotensin type one receptors, AT1A and AT1B. Another area of interest focuses on understanding the intrinsic properties of the kidney which control renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate within a narrow range during large fluctuations in arterial pressure. The rat and mouse renal microcirculations are studied using the in vitro blood perfused juxtamedullary nephron technique. This system allows the direct measurement of vessel diameter single renal microvessels in both the cortical and medullary circulations.

Renin-Angiotensin System
Renal Microcirculatory Physiology
Angiotensin Receptor Regulation
Hormonal Regulation of the Renal Microcirculation
Role of the Renin-Angiotensin System in Blood Pressure Regulation
Interaction of Angiotensin II and Nitric Oxide on Renal Function
Mechanisms of Renal Blood Flow Autoregulation

Park S, Harrison-Bernard LM., Augmented renal neuronal nitric oxide synthase and renin protein expression in angiotensin type 1 receptor null mice., J Histochem Cytochem. 56(4):401-414, 2008.

Park S, Bivona BJ, Feng Y, Lazartigues E, Harrison-Bernard LM., Intact renal afferent arteriolar autoregulatory responsiveness in db/db mice., Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 295:F1504-F1511, 2008.

Park S, Bivona BJ, Harrison-Bernard LM, Compromised renal microvascular reactivity of angiotensin type 1 double null mice., Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 293(1):F60-F67, 2007.

Swafford, AN Jr, Harrison-Bernard LM, Dick GM, Knockout mice reveal that the angiotensin II type 1b receptor links to smooth muscle contraction, Am J Hypertens 20(3):335-7, 2007.

Shen B, Harrison-Bernard LM, Fuller AJ, Vanderpool V, Saifudeen Z, El-Dahr SS., The bradykinin B2 receptor gene is a target of angiotensin II type 1 receptor signaling., J Am Soc Nephrol 18(4):1140-1149, 2007.

Harrison-Bernard, L.M., C.J. Monjure, and B.J. Bivona, Efferent arterioles exclusively express the subtype 1A angiotensin receptor: Functional insights from genetic mouse model, Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 290: F1177-F1186, 2006..