Endothelium-derived relaxing factor

Endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) is produced and released by the endothelium to promote smooth muscle relaxation. The best-characterized is nitric oxide (NO). Some sources equate EDRF and nitric oxide.[1]

It is released in response to a variety of chemical and physical stimuli. It causes the smooth muscle in the vessel wall to relax.

EDRF was discovered and characterized by Robert F. Furchgott, a winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1998 with his co-researchers Louis J. Ignarro and Ferid Murad.

According to Furchgott's website at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, "...we are investigating whether the endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) is simply nitric oxide or a mixture of substances".[2]

Although there is strong evidence that nitric oxide elicits vasodilation, there is some evidence tying this effect to neuronal rather than endothelial reactions.[3]

Terminology

According to some sources, EDRF refers not only to nitric oxide but also to other substances.[4][5] Endothelium actually produces a number of endothelial-derived relaxing factors such as:

Older candidate molecules include nitroxyl and hydroxylamine.[10]

The endothelium also produces a number of vasoconstricting agents, and there is a balance of constricting and relaxing signals.

See also

References

  1. ^ "endothelial-derived relaxing factor" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
  2. ^ "Robert Furchgott". http://www.hscbklyn.edu/pharmacology/furch.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-21. 
  3. ^ Chowdhary S, Townend JN (April 2001). "Nitric oxide and hypertension: not just an endothelium derived relaxing factor!". J Hum Hypertens 15 (4): 219–27. doi:10.1038/sj.jhh.1001165. PMID 11319669. 
  4. ^ MeSH Endothelium-Dependent+Relaxing+Factors
  5. ^ Resende AC, Ballejo G, Salgado MC (September 1998). "Role of non-nitric oxide non-prostaglandin endothelium-derived relaxing factor(s) in bradykinin vasodilation". Braz. J. Med. Biol. Res. 31 (9): 1229–35. PMID 9876291. 
  6. ^ Waldron GJ, Cole WC (February 1999). "Activation of vascular smooth muscle K+ channels by endothelium-derived relaxing factors". Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 26 (2): 180–4. doi:10.1046/j.1440-1681.1999.03006.x. PMID 10065344. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/resolve/openurl?genre=article&sid=nlm:pubmed&issn=0305-1870&date=1999&volume=26&issue=2&spage=180. 
  7. ^ Brandes RP, Schmitz-Winnenthal FH, Félétou M, et al. (August 2000). "An endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor distinct from NO and prostacyclin is a major endothelium-dependent vasodilator in resistance vessels of wild-type and endothelial NO synthase knockout mice". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 97 (17): 9747–52. doi:10.1073/pnas.97.17.9747. PMC 16936. PMID 10944233. http://www.pnas.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=10944233. 
  8. ^ Fitzgerald SM, Bashari H, Cox JA, Parkington HC, Evans RG (August 2007). "Contributions of endothelium-derived relaxing factors to control of hindlimb blood flow in the mouse in vivo". Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 293 (2): H1072–82. doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00072.2007. PMID 17468338. http://ajpheart.physiology.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=17468338. 
  9. ^ Savage D, Perkins J, Hong Lim C, Bund SJ (January 2003). "Functional evidence that K+ is the non-nitric oxide, non-prostanoid endothelium-derived relaxing factor in rat femoral arteries". Vascul. Pharmacol. 40 (1): 23–8. doi:10.1016/S1537-1891(02)00317-8. PMID 12646406. http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1537189102003178. 
  10. ^ Feelisch M, te Poel M, Zamora R, Deussen A, Moncada S (March 1994). "Understanding the controversy over the identity of EDRF". Nature 368 (6466): 62–5. doi:10.1038/368062a0. PMID 8107883.