Nitric oxide signaling
Category: Pathways · Last updated
Nitric oxide (NO) is a short-lived gaseous signaling molecule produced by three isoforms of nitric oxide synthase (NOS): endothelial (eNOS), neuronal (nNOS), and inducible (iNOS). It is a central regulator of vascular tone, endothelial cell migration, platelet aggregation, and several CNS neurotransmission systems.
Core pathway
L-arginine + O₂ → L-citrulline + NO (catalyzed by NOS).
NO diffuses readily across membranes and activates soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) in target cells, generating cyclic GMP. cGMP activates protein kinase G (PKG), which phosphorylates downstream targets including phospholamban, myosin light-chain phosphatase, and several ion channels. Net vascular effect: smooth-muscle relaxation, vasodilation.
Relevance to research peptides
NO signaling appears as a downstream pathway in animal-model studies of BPC-157 tissue healing and several broader vascular-research contexts. The "NO-modulation" framing in the BPC-157 literature is one of several proposed mechanisms; canonical receptor-binding pharmacology has not been established.