Genetics of hypertension

In the past year, substantial progress has been made in both mapping and fi ne mapping the genes involved in blood pressure regulation. Genome scans ha ve been carried out in humans and mice and these reveal many new potential chromosomal locations for blood pressure susceptibility loci. The chromosom al regions containing blood pressure genes for many of the inbred hypertens ive rat models have been refined using new congenic strains. Further geneti c studies support a role for angiotensinogen, aldosterone synthase and a re gion close to the epithelial sodium channel in blood pressure regulation. F inally, comprehensive single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis of cardiovasc ular genes has been undertaken using chip technology.