[Neurotransmission and nitric oxide (NO)]

Abstract

The history of how we reached the goal of determining the mechanism of vasodilatation caused by non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic nerve stimulation in cerebral arteries was traced. We concluded from this project that electrical and chemical (by nicotine) stimulations evoke an increased influx of Ca2+ into nerve terminals and activate nitric oxide (NO) synthase, resulting in the synthesis and release of NO that stimulates the guanylate cyclase in smooth muscle, thereby causing the accumulation of cyclic GMP and eliciting muscle relaxation. Reviewed also are the neurally-induced inhibitory responses of extracranial arteries, intestines, etc. with respect to NO.