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Medical Definition of Endothelium-derived relaxing factor
1. A labile humoral agent released by the vascular endothelium that mediates the relaxation induced by some vasodilators such as acetylcholine and bradykinin. Edrf also inhibits platelet aggregation, induces disaggregation of aggregated platelets, and inhibits platelet adhesion to the vascular endothelium. These actions are believed to be mediated through stimulation of guanylate cyclase and the consequent elevation of cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate. Edrf is thought to be nitric oxide or a ready source of it. The factor is believed to be unstable and acts only locally in vivo. (12 Dec 1998)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Endothelium-derived Relaxing Factor
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