title: Function of vasoactive factors in the cerebral microcirculation.
abstract: The properties of brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) have been analyzed. BCECs express two types of receptor sites for endothelins (ETs), and ETA-like receptor, and an ETB-like receptor that is not coupled to phospholipase C but whose occupancy activates Na+/H+ exchange activity. The ETA receptor is positively coupled to phospholipase C and negatively coupled to adenylate cyclase. BCECs, unlike aortic endothelial cells, express high-affinity receptor sites for C-type natriuretic peptide. They respond to exogenous nitric oxide (NO) and to NO donor molecules by large activations of soluble guanylate cyclase. They produce little cGMP in response to A23187 or to agonists of phospholipase C but do so after an exposure to interleukin-1. The physiological consequence of the high reactivity of BCECs to vasoactive factors is discussed.
mesh_terms: D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002196:Capillaries / Q000378:metabolism; D002999:Clone Cells; D016232:Endothelins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D017461:Receptors, Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D017461:Receptors, Atrial Natriuretic Factor