atropine has been used to block cholinergic neurotransmission in basic research. large doses of atropine cause vasodilation of the blood vessels in the skin. this effect is apparently unconnected with the antimuscarinic activity of atropine and seems to be due to a direct action on the blood vessels. it has been suggested that atropine blocks muscarinic receptors at low doses and it induces the...

Recent studies using chemiluminescence and spectrophotometry have shown that cultured and native endothelial cells release nitric oxide (NO). Pharmacological and biochemical evidence argue for and against the proposal that endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) is identical with free NO. In an attempt to identify EDRF as free NO, a bioassay technique was combined with an NO trap (hemoglobin...

Since its discovery by Furchgott and Zawadzki in 1980,1 endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) has been shown to play a central role in the cardiovascular system.2 This endothelial product is chemically equivalent to nitric oxide (NO)3'4 or a biochemical congener thereof,5 and relaxes vascular smooth muscle in association with activating guanylyl cyclase and increasing cGMP. Operating throu...

Since its discovery by Furchgott and Zawadzki in 1980,1 endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) has been shown to play a central role in the cardiovascular system.2 This endothelial product is chemically equivalent to nitric oxide (NO)3'4 or a biochemical congener thereof,5 and relaxes vascular smooth muscle in association with activating guanylyl cyclase and increasing cGMP. Operating throu...

The endothelium-derived relaxing factor nitric oxide (EDRF/NO) is a labile, endogenous vasodilator that is important in the control of systemic vascular tone. This review focuses on the effects of EDRF/NO on glomerular mesangial cells in vitro and on the role of EDRF/NO in mesangial and glomerular physiology and pathophysiology in vivo. It was concluded that EDRF/NO can stimulate increases in c...

Vascular endothelial cells and neutrophils synthesize and release potent vasodilatatory factors, i.e. endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRF) and neutrophil-derived relaxing factors (NDRF). One EDRF has been identified as nitric oxide (NO) derived from arginine. We studied the synthesis and release of NO from human neutrophils stimulated with the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-l...

Atropine has been used to block cholinergic neurotransmission in basic research. Large doses of atropine cause vasodilation of the blood vessels in the skin. This effect is apparently unconnected with the antimuscarinic activity of atropine and seems to be due to a direct action on the blood vessels. It has been suggested that atropine blocks muscarinic receptors at low doses and it induces th...

An in vitro bioassay system was developed to study endothelium-mediated, shear stress-induced, or flow-dependent generation of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF). Monolayers of aortic endothelial cells were grown on a rigid and large surface area of microcarrier beads and were packed in a small column perfused with Krebs bicarbonate solution. The perfusate was allowed to superfuse three...

Endothelial cells can release substances which profoundly affect vascular tone and platelet function. The inhibitory substances include endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF or nitric oxide), prostacyclin and probably an endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor. Endothelin is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide released from endothelial cells. Under certain conditions, the endothelium can al...