Signal transduction terms Links

In general, the NOS isoforms can be grouped into two classes as determined by their expression in cells. Certain NOS isoforms, termed constitutive, appear to be expressed at a fairly constant level in their host cells. However, these isoforms are inactive in their native state and require that the Ca -binding protein calmodulin associate with them in order to generate NO (Schmidt et al., 1991 Busse and Mulsch, 1990 Bredt and Snyder, 1994). Thus NO production by constitutive NOS isoforms is often linked to Ca +-mediated signal transduction cascades that involve soluble guanylate cyclase, which is a hemeprotein that is activated by NO (Arnold et al., 1977). 

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