diary livejournal fossils
In 1998, Robert Furchgott, Louis ignarro, and Ferid Murad won the Nobel prize in Physiology/Medicine for signaling in the endothelium. Robert Furchgott tested drugs originally on rabbit aortas. He received contradictory results, thus finding that an intact endothelium is was needed. He came up with the concept of the EDRF, the Endothelium Derived Relaxing Factor. Louis Ignarro tested hemoglobin exposure to pre-contracted bovine arteries, finding that the EDRF was Nitric Oxide. Ferid Murad found that Nitric Oxide was the signaling molecule for myosinic relaxation and proved that to be true.
Endothelial cells are squamous cells acting as a barrier in the in the blood vessels between blood-flow and the smooth muscle tissue. Nitric Oxide can induce contraction in these cells. Signaling by means of a gas was a new concept in biology. The significance of this is that Nitroglycerine, prescribed for heart troubles can reduce pain due to angina pectoris by increasing blood flow. It can also reduce dangerously high blood pressure in the lungs of infants, and may help with tumor reduction by inducing apoptosis. NO was also crucial in the development of Viagra, as well as the diagnosing of asthma, colitis, and other diseases