Canadian Medical Guide > Chemicals and Drugs > Inorganic Chemicals > Free Radicals > Nitric Oxide Terms and Definitions

Nitric Oxide

Medical Definition:	A free radical gas produced endogenously by a variety of mammalian cells, synthesized from ARGININE by NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE. Nitric oxide is one of the ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT RELAXING FACTORS released by the vascular endothelium and mediates VASODILATION. It also inhibits platelet aggregation, induces disaggregation of aggregated platelets, and inhibits platelet adhesion to the vascular endothelium. Nitric oxide activates cytosolic GUANYLATE CYCLASE and thus elevates intracellular levels of CYCLIC GMP.
CAS Type 1 Name:	CAS Number:	10102-43-9

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