Endothelin: potential role in development and disease.

Endothelin is a vasoconstrictor substance, initially isolated from porcine endothelial cell supernatant, which has a structure different from any other mammalian peptide. An extensive array of biological activities has been ascribed to endothelin which, besides having unrivaled vasoconstrictive effects, modulates neurotransmission, regulates other hormones and neurotransmitters, and also has potent hyperplastic/hypertrophic effects. These observations have suggested important roles for endothelin in pathophysiological conditions and also in normal development. Inhibition of endothelin activity can decrease vasoconstriction associated with pathophysiological settings. Inhibition of endothelin activity also decreases mitogenesis and therefore cellular proliferation and growth, thereby supporting a role for endothelin in processes which are an integral part of normal development.