Endothelial control of myocardial function.
The newly described phenomenon of endothelial control of myocardial contraction is reviewed. Endothelium both from endocardium and from coronary microvessels releases an unidentified contraction-prolonging agent and can be stimulated to release a contraction-abbreviating agent which is nitric oxide which elevates myocardial cyclic GMP content: these act by increasing and decreasing contractile protein sensitivity to cytosolic calcium respectively. The phenomenon has been confirmed in vitro and in vivo, with physiological and potential pathophysiological and pharmacological consequences for cardiac pump function.
Henderson
A H
AH
British Heart Foundation Sir Thomas Lewis Chair of Cardiology, Department of Cardiology, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, UK.
D000818:Animals; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*