title: The vasoactive peptidergic system.
abstract: A great body of evidence emerging, for the most part, from studies on molecular biology has recently supported the existence of a hypothetical peptidergic system acting at the perivascular level for "local" control of vasomotion. Other well-known systems involved in the homeostasis of circulation, i.e. the adrenergic system and the renin-angiotensin system, appear to be modulated by this peptidergic system, whose physiology is still far from being fully understood. The peptides involved in this hypothetical system supplying the vascular tree belong to the families of endothelins, natriuretic peptides, peptides Y, calcitonin gene-related peptides, tachykinins, and tissue angiotensins. Pathophysiological conditions determining tissue ischaemia at different levels (myocardium, brain) have been investigated both in human and animal models and provide suggestive evidence for the involvement of this peptidergic system in the control of "local" vasomotion.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Medica Generale e Terapia Medica L. Condorelli, Università degli Studi di Catania.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tamburino
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Malatino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000502:physiology; D010455:Peptides / Q000502:physiology*; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D010455:Peptides