Xiaodong Zheng

Research Interest: The overall emphasis of Xiaodong Zheng s research is to understand the cellular mechanisms by which the endothelium and smooth muscle regulates blood vessel tone in both normal physiological conditions and disease states, such as hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and hypertension. The pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation display different characterize in response to physiological stimuli, such as hypoxia. Under hypoxia condition, pulmonary vessels is constricted, whether the systemic vessels is relaxation. The vascular tone is regulating through the release of vasoactive mediators of endothelium in response to either chemical or mechanical stimuli. Some of these mediators include nitric oxide (NO), prostacyclin, and less well-understood endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factors such as metabolites of arachidonic acid and reactive oxygen species (e.g. hydrogen peroxide). Of particular interest to our group are the identities and mechanisms of action of hypoxia in pulmonary and