Biomaterial Database

Update on nitric oxide-dependent vasodilation in human subjects. 2005

Craig J McMackin, and Joseph A Vita

Evans Department of Medicine and Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.

There currently is great interest in translating findings about the importance of nitric oxide (NO) in vascular biology to the clinical arena. The bioactivity of endothelium-derived NO can readily be assessed in human subjects as vasodilation of conduit arteries or increased flow, which reflects vasodilation of resistance vessels. This chapter provides an update on the available noninvasive methodology to assess endothelium-dependent vasodilation in human subjects.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009569	Nitric Oxide	A free radical gas produced endogenously by a variety of mammalian cells, synthesized from ARGININE by NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE. Nitric oxide is one of the ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT RELAXING FACTORS released by the vascular endothelium and mediates VASODILATION. It also inhibits platelet aggregation, induces disaggregation of aggregated platelets, and inhibits platelet adhesion to the vascular endothelium. Nitric oxide activates cytosolic GUANYLATE CYCLASE and thus elevates intracellular levels of CYCLIC GMP.	Endogenous Nitrate Vasodilator,Mononitrogen Monoxide,Nitric Oxide, Endothelium-Derived,Nitrogen Monoxide,Endothelium-Derived Nitric Oxide,Monoxide, Mononitrogen,Monoxide, Nitrogen,Nitrate Vasodilator, Endogenous,Nitric Oxide, Endothelium Derived,Oxide, Nitric,Vasodilator, Endogenous Nitrate
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014664	Vasodilation	The physiological widening of BLOOD VESSELS by relaxing the underlying VASCULAR SMOOTH MUSCLE.	Vasodilatation,Vasorelaxation,Vascular Endothelium-Dependent Relaxation,Endothelium-Dependent Relaxation, Vascular,Relaxation, Vascular Endothelium-Dependent,Vascular Endothelium Dependent Relaxation