title: Epac and the cardiovascular system.
abstract: Exchange protein activated by cyclic AMP (Epac) -- a cyclic AMP-activated guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Ras-like GTPases -- has emerged as a novel mediator of pivotal processes in the cardiovascular system, including cellular calcium handling, hypertrophy, integrin-mediated cell adhesion, establishment of cell polarity, cell migration and endothelial barrier functioning. Epac controls these various cellular responses apparently by signaling to several effector proteins. Spatiotemporal dynamics in the subcellular distribution of Epac-driven signaling networks probably determine the net outcome of cyclic AMP signaling in the cardiovascular system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pharmacology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. m.schmidt@rug.nl
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sand
authors.forename: Karl H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Jakobs
authors.forename: Martin C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Paschal A Oude
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Weernink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000502:physiology; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000502:physiology; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; C116122:RAPGEF3 protein, human; D000242:Cyclic AMP