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Biological Actions of Prostacyclin and its Pharmacological use in Platelet Studies

  • Chapter
Mechanisms of Stimulus—Response Coupling in Platelets

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 192))

Abstract

Prostacyclin is the predominant cyclo-oxygenase product of the essential fatty acid arachidonic acid in vascular tissues from animals and man. The ability of the walls of larger vessels to synthesize prostacyclin is greatest at the intimai surface and progressively decreases towards the adventitia (1). Studies on the biosynthesis of prostacyclin by cultured cells from vessel walls shows that the endothelial cells have the greatest capacity to produce prostacyclin (2,3). Prostacyclin relaxes isolated vascular strips and is a potent hypotensive agent through its induction of vasodilatation of all vascular beds studied, including the gastro-intestinal pulmonary and cerebral circulations (for review, see 4). Furthermore, several studies have suggested that prostacyclin generation participates in, or accounts for, functional hyperaemia in various vascular beds (5,6).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Wellcome Research Laboratories, Langley Court, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 3BS, England

    Salvador Moncada & Brendan J. R. Whittle

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  1. Salvador Moncada
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  2. Brendan J. R. Whittle
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Royal College of Surgeons, London, England

    J. Westwick

  2. Thrombosis Research Unit, King’s College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, England

    M. F. Scully  & V. V. Kakkar  & 

  3. Department of Pharmacology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland

    D. E. MacIntyre

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© 1985 Plenum Press, New York

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Moncada, S., Whittle, B.J.R. (1985). Biological Actions of Prostacyclin and its Pharmacological use in Platelet Studies. In: Westwick, J., Scully, M.F., MacIntyre, D.E., Kakkar, V.V. (eds) Mechanisms of Stimulus—Response Coupling in Platelets. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 192. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9442-0_24

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