Intended use
This immunoassay kit allows for the specific measurement of rat eNOS concentrations in serum and plasma.
Introduction
Nitric oxide (NO) is produced by a group of enzymes called nitric oxide synthases (NOS). These enzymes catalyze the production of NO and L-citrulline from L-arginine, O2, and NADPH-derived electrons. Mammalian systems contain three well-characterized isoforms of the enzyme: neuronal NOS (nNOS, also called NOS1), inducible NOS (iNOS or NOS2), and endothelial NOS (eNOS or NOS3). The names reflect characteristics of the activity or the original tissues in which the enzymes were first described, but it is now known that each of these isoforms is expressed in a variety of tissues and cell types. The cell types that express eNOS include vascular endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes and others. In blood vessels, NO produced by the eNOS in endothelial cells functions as a vasodilator thereby regulating blood flow and pressure. Mutant eNOS knockout mice have blood pressure that is 30% higher than wild-type littermates. Within cardiomyocytes, eNOS affects Ca2+ currents and contractility. Expression of eNOS is usually reported to be constitutive, though modest degrees of regulation occur in response to factors such as shear stress, exercise, chronic hypoxia, and heart failure.
