Natriuretic Peptides

In 1981, de Bold and his colleagues made the seminal observation that infusion of extracts of atrial tissue into rats caused a copious natriuresis.1 This then led to the isolation and cloning of atrial natriuretic peptide, the first member of a family of peptides with potent natriuretic, diuretic, and vasorelaxant activity.2 Subsequent contributions from many investigators have expanded our understanding of the family of natriuretic peptides, their receptors, and their cellular actions that regulate physiologic functions. Studies using drugs to inhibit the function of some natriuretic peptide receptors or to prevent the degradation of natriuretic peptides have confirmed the importance . . .