Preface

The blood vessels play critical roles in the maintenance of blood pressure and regulation of tissue blood flow through changing their tone. It is widely accepted that the tone of blood vessels is mainly controlled by sympathetic adrenergic nerves through the release of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE). However, accumulating evidence suggests that the blood vessel tone is also controlled by nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) nerves and possibly by parasympathetic nerves. NE, neuropeptide-Y and ATP act as vasoconstrictor neurotransmitters of sympathetic nerves, while nitric oxide (NO), calcitonin generelated peptide (CGRP) and acetylcholine (ACh) act as vasodilator neurotransmitters for parasympathetic, NANC and cholinergic nerves. These nerves containing various neurotransmitters not only directly control vascular tone but also indirectly do so by interacting with each other via feedback autoregulatory mechanisms and neuromodulation of various vasoactive substances. At the Symposium on Pharmacology and Physiology of Perivascular Nerves Regulating Vascular Function, held at the 74th Annual Meeting of The Japanese Pharmacological Society (March 2l, 2001 ; Yokohama), the significant advances within the field were discussed. "Role of perivascular sympathetic nerves and regional differences in the features of sympathetic innervation of the vascular system" was reviewed by Hiromichi Tsuru et al. … full description

Bibliographic Details

Published in:

Japanese Journal of Pharmacology Vol. 88; no. 1; pp. 7 - 8

Main Authors:

Hiromu Kawasaki, Hiromichi Tsuru

Document Type:

Journal Article

Language:

Japanese

Published:

The Japanese Pharmacological Society 2002

ISSN:

0021-5198
1347-3506