Effects of taurine on rat aorta in vitro.
The effects of taurine on vascular tone of isolated thoracic aortic rings were investigated. We have observed that: 1) taurine is able to induce reduction of the basal contractile tone; 2) taurine exerts a relaxing action in artery segments preconstricted with high potassium medium noradrenaline; 3) the effect of taurine is either dependent on endothelium, nor mediated by adrenoceptors or muscarinic cholinoceptors; 4) in vessels with basal tone or in those preconstricted with noradrenaline, the presence of endothelium reduces the taurine-induced relaxation; 5) the actions of taurine are independent of extracellular calcium; 6) taurine increases the vasodilatation induced by a perfusion with a calcium-free medium. The physiological role of taurine in the maintenance of vascular tone in normal and pathological situations is discussed.
Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire Cardiaque URA CNRS 632, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France.
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Ristori
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Verdetti
D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
D013654:Taurine; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D002118:Calcium; D009638:Norepinephrine