Renin Angiotensin System?

[jellybean_22]

Hi,

Could someone please explain the renin angiotensin system to me? I'm currently revising the cardiovascular system & It's not something that I seem to have seen much of? Is the renin angiotensin system, the main system that regulates blood pressure?

Thank you :).

[jrsmrs]

There's a pretty good basic explanation of the RAAS here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renin-angiotensin_system

HTH!

[bananimal]

This is the website that gave me that 'aha! i get it!' moment last semester when studying this.

http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec03/ch022/ch022a.html

Scroll down to the diagram that has numbered explanations of each step.

Hope it helps!

[Josef237]

Yes the RAAS plays a significant role in the blood vol. and BP. You have angiotensinogen which is an enzyme made by the liver it ciriculates and when there is a change to BV or BP the receptors in the Afferent arteriole pick it up and sense the change. Angiotensinogen is then converted to angiotensin I then it goes to the kidney where angio I is converted to angio II via ACE, and angio II stimulates aldosterone to retain Na and H2O thus increasing blood vol and bp. I would look or make a flow chart to look at this essential system.