Abstract
Summary
The present quantitative results demonstrate that although an optimum interaction between length of side chain and a certain degree of basicity of the amino acid residue in position 8 is necessary for maximizing vasopressin-induced contractions of both rat aortas and mesenteric arterioles, basicity in position 8 is definitely not an absolute requirement for vasopressin-induced contractions of rat blood vessels. The length of the amino acid residue in position 8, in contrast to what is currently believed, may be quite important in determining the strength of vasopressin-induced contractions on both macro- and microscopic rat blood vessels. In view of the extremely low doses of arginine-vasopressin required to elicit arteriolar constriction, one must entertain the possibility that vasopressin plays an important role in control of arteriolar blood pressure.
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