Molecular biology of the renin-angiotensin system: implications for hypertension and beyond

In the last decade, nucleic acid sequences coding for all three components of the renin-angiotensin cascade have been cloned. This has led to increased understanding of the transcriptional and translational regulation of renin, angiotensinogen, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). This review discusses the impact of the availability of these clones in three clinically relevant areas--the role of the renin-angiotensin system in hypertension, the role of tissue renin-angiotensin systems, and the development of renin inhibitors.