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pubmed:abstractText |
The natriuretic peptide (NP) family includes atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP). Natriuretic peptides are known to inhibit vascular cell growth and regulate vessel tone. There is also much evidence to suggest they modulate vascular permeability and angiogenesis, as well as regulating aqueous humor production in the eye. All these data indicate that the natriuretic peptide system might be involved in the development of diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. Given the expression pattern of natriuretic peptides (NPs) and their receptors, natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPRA), natriuretic peptide receptor B (NPRB) and natriuretic peptide receptor C (NPRC) in the human retina has not yet been established, the present study was designed to determine ANP, BNP and CNP gene expression and localize the mature peptides in this tissue. The expression pattern of the genes encoding the different NP receptor subtypes was also examined.
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