Regional differences in endothelium‐dependent relaxation in the rat : contribution of nitric oxide and nitric oxide‐independent mechanisms
Relaxant effects of acetylcholine (ACh), histamine, calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) and the calcium ionophore A23187 were examined in rat femoral (Ø ≅ 0.2 mm), mesenteric (0.2 mm), intrarenal (0.2 mm) and hepatic (0.3 mm) arteries, and aorta (2 mm). Acetylcholine elicited an endothelium‐dependent relaxation in all arteries. Histamine induced an endothelium‐dependent relaxation in aorta, and