When biochemical studies on the liver are interpreted, the cells of the sinusoidal area frequently receive little attention because, compared to hepatocytes, their contribution to subcellular fractions is assumed insignificant. A systematic stereological analysis of liver parenchyma was therefore performed in order to determine the distribution of organelles and membranes between hepatocytic and nonhepatocytic cells, namely endothelial, Kupffer, and fat-storing cells. The livers were fixed by vascular perfusion and the data were corrected for systematic errors due to section thickness and compression. The extracellular space compartment includes the lumina of sinusoids (10.6%), the space of Disse (4.9%), and the bile canaliculi (0.4%). Hepatocytes constitute 78% of parenchymal volume; the nonhepatocytes account for 6.3% and consist of 2.8% endothelial cells, 2.1% Kupffer cells, and 1.4% fat-storing cells. The nonhepatocytes contribute 55% of the volume of lipid droplets in the liver, 43% of the lysosomes, and 1.2% of the mitochondria. Although the nonhepatocytes account for only 8% of the total surface area of parenchymal membranes, they contain 26.5% of all the plasma membranes, 32.4% of the lysosomal membranes, 15.1% of the Golgi apparatus, 6.4% of the endoplasmic reticulum, and 2.4% of the mitochondrial membranes.The data demonstrate the extent to which nonhepatocytic organelles can potentially contaminate subcellular fractions used for biochemical studies. Particularly important for the interpretation of studies on lysosomes, plasma membrane, and Golgi apparatus is the finding that an appreciable part of these organelles may be derived from cell types other than hepatocytes.When the results of biochemical studies on the liver are related to liver structure, it is often tacitly assumed that the role of ceils other than hepatocytes can be ignored; accordingly, morphometric studies on liver cells have hitherto concentrated exclusively on hepatocytes (4,17,25,34,35). Hepatocytes are by far the most prominent component of liver parenchyma, in terms of both vol-

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The blood pressure-lowering effect of this triple VPI was superior to that of the other VPI in this preclinical rat model of hypertension. Further experiments are needed to assess triple VPI to other combinations in other models with regard to efficacy and angioedema. Only then it may constitute a first-in-class approach for the treatment of hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders.

In humans with hypertension and LV hypertrophy, beneficial effects of angiotensin inhibition may be associated with preserved autoregulatory capacity. We studied the effect of acute angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition on coronary autoregulatory pressure-flow relations and transmural distribution of blood flow in sham and LV hypertrophy dogs. Heart/body weight ratio increased (p = 0.001) from 5.5 +/- 0.7 in sham to 6.9 +/- 0.5 in LV hypertrophy dogs. The lower coronary pressure limit (LPL) on the pressure-flow relation was 47 +/- 2 mmHg in sham and 57 +/- 6 mmHg (p = 0.001) in LV hypertrophy dogs; after acute ACE-inhibition the LPL was reduced to 40 +/- 5 mmHg and 49 +/- 6 mmHg (p = 0.001), respectively. Transmural distribution of blood flow was preserved at the LPL in both groups before and after acute ACE-inhibition. Concomitant blockade of prostaglandin and nitric oxide release and bradykinin catabolism had no additional effects on the LPL and distribution of blood flow. After acute ACE-inhibition in LV hypertrophy dogs, distribution of blood flow across the LV wall was preserved and subendocardial vascular reserve was maintained even though the LPL was significantly lower. Preservation of autoregulatory capacity by ACE inhibitors contributes to beneficial outcome in patients with hypertension and LV hypertrophy.

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