The smooth muscle cell directly drives the contraction of the vascular wall and hence
regulates the size of the blood vessel lumen. We review here the current understanding of …

The discovery of the nitric oxide/cGMP pathway was the basis for our understanding of many
normal physiological functions and the pathophysiology of several diseases. Since the …

To date, studies suggest that biological signaling by nitric oxide (NO) is primarily mediated
by cGMP, which is synthesized by NO-activated guanylyl cyclases and broken down by …

Somlyo, Andrew P., and Avril V. Somlyo. Ca2+ Sensitivity of Smooth Muscle and Nonmuscle
Myosin II: Modulated by G Proteins, Kinases, and Myosin Phosphatase. Physiol Rev 83 …

Heterotrimeric G proteins are key players in transmembrane signaling by coupling a huge
variety of receptors to channel proteins, enzymes, and other effector molecules. Multiple …

The importance of maintaining contractile function in aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is
evident by the fact that heterozygous mutations in the major structural proteins or kinases …

Nitric oxide (NO) is recognized as a mediator and regulator of inflammatory responses. It
possesses cytotoxic properties that are aimed against pathogenic microbes, but it can also …

Natriuretic peptides are a family of structurally related but genetically distinct
hormones/paracrine factors that regulate blood volume, blood pressure, ventricular …

Guanylyl cyclases are a family of enzymes that catalyze the conversion of GTP to cGMP. The
family comprises both membrane-bound and soluble isoforms that are expressed in nearly …

As a chemical transmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, nitric oxide (NO) is still
thought a bit of an oddity, yet this role extends back to the beginnings of the evolution of the …