title: Cardiac opioids.
abstract: Opioid peptides have long been considered as neuropeptides or neurotransmitters. The more recent discovery of these same peptides in non-neuronal tissue suggests that the peptides may have autocrine, paracrine, or endocrine functions as well. The opioid peptides, enkephalins, dynorphins, and endorphins, have been found in isolated cardiac myocytes and heart tissue. This review will cover the recent literature on opioid peptides in respect to cardiac distribution, biochemistry, and function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, USA. barronb@hsc.unt.edu
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Barron
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018847:Opioid Peptides; D011957:Receptors, Opioid