title: Could the absence or malfunction of vascular endothelium precipitate the occurrence of vasospasm?
abstract: The obligatory role of the endothelium in relaxations of isolated coronary arteries to acetylcholine is explained by the release by endothelial cells of a labile vasodilator substance(s), endothelium-derived relaxing factor(s). Other neurohumoral mediators can evoke endothelium-dependent relaxations of coronary arteries. Of particular importance from the clinical point of view are thrombin, serotonin and adenine nucleotides. The latter are chiefly responsible for the endothelium-dependent relaxations evoked by aggregating platelets. The absence or the dysfunction of the endothelium may favour the occurrence of vasospasm.
mesh_terms: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000502:physiology; D003329:Coronary Vasospasm / Q000209:etiology*; D004285:Dogs; D004727:Endothelium / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009126:Muscle Relaxation; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides; D002395:Catecholamines; D014667:Vasopressins; D012701:Serotonin