In Vitro and In Vivo Approaches to Assess Rho Kinase Activity.

Increased arterial tone and the resulting rise in peripheral vascular resistance are major determinants of the elevated arterial pressure in hypertension. The RhoA/Rho kinase signaling pathways are now recognized as a major regulator of vascular smooth muscle contraction and arterial tone. Here we describe methods to directly and indirectly assess Rho kinase activity in vitro and in cells and tissues.