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THE ENDOGENOUS NITROVASODILATOR PRODUCED BY THE VASCULAR ENDOTHELIUM
Author(s) -
DUSTING G. J.,
HIGGS E. A.,
MACDONALD P. S.,
MONCADA S.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0004-8291
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1989.tb00319.x
Subject(s) - prostacyclin , endothelium , vasodilation , vascular smooth muscle , medicine , endogeny , blood vessel , nitric oxide , endothelium derived relaxing factor , mediator , platelet , pharmacology , endocrinology , smooth muscle
The calibre of blood vessels and the tone of the vascular smooth muscle are determined not only by innervation, circulating hormones and metabolic factors, but also by local mediators generated in the vascular wall. Prostacyclin is produced mainly by the endothelium; it was the first endothelium‐derived mediator that aroused widespread attention, for it is a powerful vasodilator and inhibitor of platelet aggregation. 1 More recently it was discovered that the vascular endothelium produced another potent humoral agent which is responsible for the vasodilator action of many endogenous substances. This substance is endothelium‐derived relaxing factor (EDRF).