Nitric Oxide: Biology and Pathobiology

Louis J. Ignarro

Sep 2000 · Academic Press

About this ebook

Nitric oxide (NO) is a gas that transmits signals in an organism. Signal transmission by a gas that is produced by one cell and which penetrates through membranes and regulates the function of another cell represents an entirely new principle for signaling in biological systems. NO is a signal molecule of key importance for the cardiovascular system acting as a regulator of blood pressure and as a gatekeeper of blood flow to different organs. NO also exerts a series of other functions, such as acting a signal molecule in the nervous system and as a weapon against infections. NO is present in most living creatures and made by many different types of cells. NO research has led to new treatments for treating heart as well as lung diseases, shock, and impotence. Scientists are currently testing whether NO can be used to stop the growth of cancerous tumors, since the gas can induce programmed cell death, apoptosis. This book is the first comprehensive text on nitric oxide to cover all aspects--basic biology, chemistry, pathobiology, effects on various disease states, and therapeutic implications. - Edited by Nobel Laureate Louis J. Ignarro, editor of the Academic Press journal, Nitric Oxide - Authored by world experts on nitric oxide - Includes an overview of basic principles of biology and chemical biology - Covers principles of pathobiology, including the nervous system, cardiovascular function, pulmonary function, and immune defense

Ratings and reviews

This is a very detailed review of the discovery of NO, tools for working with NO and the systems affected by NO dysregulation. It forms an essential introduction to this vast field.

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About the author

Louis J. Ignarro, PhD, is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the UCLA School of Medicine. He has broad and extensive experience in the molecular and chemical biology of the nitric oxide-cyclic GMP signaling systems. He and his basic research teams have discovered and expanded the production and actions of nitric oxide in mammalian tissues, including the protective roles of nitric oxide in preventing hypertension, stroke and myocardial infarction, and its neurotransmitter role as the mediator of erectile function in humans. For these discoveries, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.