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Vascular Biology Fundamentals

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) cause more deaths per year than the next six leading causes of death combined. There is also strong evidence for a role of oxidative stress, a key focus at Oxford Biomedical Research, in the development of CVD. Emerging risk factors for CVD include isoprostanes, C-reactive proteins, fibrinogen and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1). Fibrinogen and PAI-1 are key components of the highly regulated coagulation process. Elevated PAI-1 transcription has been reported to be caused by oxidative stress activation of the AP-1 response element. Vascular endothelial cells also play a key role in cancer by limiting the access of circulating cells to sub-endothelial space and thereby reducing tumor metastasis.

We offer a wide range of antibodies, purified and recombinant proteins, and immunoassay kits for studies of proteins involved in cardiovascular biology – including those that play key roles in coagulation and its regulation, as well as other proteins (e.g. vitronectin and LDL-receptor associated protein) that have been recognized as important in cardiovascular pathobiology.