title: EDHF: bringing the concepts together.
abstract: Endothelial cells synthesize and release vasoactive mediators in response to various neurohumoural substances (e.g. bradykinin or acetylcholine) and physical stimuli (e.g. cyclic stretch or fluid shear stress). The best-characterized endothelium-derived relaxing factors are nitric oxide and prostacyclin. However, an additional relaxant pathway associated with smooth muscle hyperpolarization also exists. This hyperpolarization was originally attributed to the release of an endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) that diffuses to and activates smooth muscle K(+) channels. More recent evidence suggests that endothelial cell receptor activation by these neurohumoural substances opens endothelial cell K(+) channels. Several mechanisms have been proposed to link this pivotal step to the subsequent smooth muscle hyperpolarization. The main concepts are considered in detail in this review.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Kardiovaskuläre Physiologie, Klinikum der J.W. Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: Rudi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Busse
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Félétou
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Vanhoutte
authors.forename: Arthur H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Weston
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001685:Biological Factors; D015221:Potassium Channels; C067410:endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization factor