Since its discovery by Erspamer in the 1930s and identification by Page in the 1950s, 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine; serotonin) has been an elusive candidate as a substance that plays a role in the disease of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. In both animal and human hypertension, arterial contraction to 5-HT is profoundly enhanced. Additionally, 5-HT is a vascular smooth muscle cell mitogen. Because both increased arterial contractility and smooth muscle growth contribute to the disease of hypertension, it is logical to believe that 5-HT is a potential cause of disease, and thus a foe. However, decades of research have produced conflicting results as to the potential role of 5-HT in hypertension. This review will discuss historical findings which both support and refute the involvement of 5-HT in hypertension, and pose some new questions that may reveal novel ways for 5-HT to modify vascular control of blood pressure.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
May 2005
-
Cover Image
Cover Image
- PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
Review Article|
April 22 2005
5-HT in systemic hypertension: foe, friend or fantasy?
Stephanie W. WATTS
1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, B445 Life Sciences Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1317, U.S.A.
Correspondence: Dr Stephanie W. Watts (email wattss@msu.edu).
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
December 17 2004
Accepted:
January 31 2005
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society
2005
Clin Sci (Lond) (2005) 108 (5): 399–412.
Article history
Received:
December 17 2004
Accepted:
January 31 2005
Citation
Stephanie W. WATTS; 5-HT in systemic hypertension: foe, friend or fantasy?. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 May 2005; 108 (5): 399–412. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20040364
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Captcha Validation Error. Please try again.