title: [The heart as an endocrine organ: the discovery of a new hormone].
abstract: Ever since the early work of Henry and Gauer (1956) it has been clear that a link exists between the atria of mammals and diuresis. In 1981, De Bold et al. described that atrial extracts, injected intravenously into rats, caused diuresis. The hormone responsible for this diuresis has quickly been identified. The peptide hormone, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), which is also known as atrial natriuretic peptide(s) (ANP), cardionatrin, cardiodilatin, atrin or auriculin, has been sequenced and synthetically produced. Its genomic DNA has been cloned. ANF raises cyclic GMP in target cells and activates particulate guanylate cyclase but not soluble guanylate cyclase. So far, no other hormone has conclusively been shown to activate particulate guanylate cyclase. ANF is formed and secreted in the atria but not in the ventricles of mammals, including man. The action of ANF involves natriuresis, vasorelaxation and inhibition of aldosterone secretion. ANF or ANF derivatives may represent a therapeutically useful new class of agents.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gerzer
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000502:physiology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016275:Atrial Function; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D006224:Cricetinae; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004285:Dogs; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009126:Muscle Relaxation; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular; D009318:Natriuresis; D011487:Protein Conformation; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D009124:Muscle Proteins; D000450:Aldosterone; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D006152:Cyclic GMP
vernacular_title: Das Herz, ein endokrines Organ: die Entdeckung eines neuen Hormons.