Pregnancy and the vascular endothelium – Lucilla Poston (p.25)

The endothelial cell layer of arteries has received much recent attention, as it is now evident that it plays a very substantial role in the local control of blood flow and in the maintenance of normal blood pressure. Whilst it is established that the endothelium produces dilatory prostacyclin, it is not clear whether prostacyclin plays a role in the control or maintenance of vascular tone. However, the discovery that endothelial cells produce nitric oxide (NO), or a closely related compound, which is released in response to several endogenous compounds and by blood flow, has focused the attention of both physiologists and clinical researchers alike.