Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Measurement of Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate (cGMP) in Solid Tissues using Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
Published on: July 3, 2025
Regulation of tracheal ciliary beat frequency by nitric oxide synthase substrate L-arginine
Jian Jiao1, Demin Han, Na Meng
1Laboratory of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Beijing, China.
Objectives:
Our purpose was to investigate the role of nitric oxide (NO) synthase substrate L-arginine (L-arg) in the regulation of airway ciliary beat frequency (CBF).
Methods:
We studied the effects of L-arg on CBF of rabbit tracheal epithelial cells by using high-speed digital microscopy and determined the expression and distribution of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in intact tracheal mucosa and in isolated cilia by using immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively.
Results:
L-arg dose- and time-dependently increased CBF compared with the control groups, and the effect was blocked by pretreatment with the NOS inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Immunoreactivity to 3 isoforms of NOS (nNOS, iNOS, and eNOS) was observed in cilia of epithelial cells, and the signal intensity of eNOS was stronger than that of both nNOS and iNOS. Western blot analysis of isolated ciliary preparations also detected all 3 isoforms of NOS, and the expression level is eNOS > nNOS > iNOS.
Conclusion:
L-arg increases the CBF of rabbit tracheal epithelial cells via the NOS-NO signal pathway.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway
01:17Autoregulation of Blood Flow
Chemical Signaling in Autoregulation
Chemical signaling operates at the precapillary sphincter level, inciting either contraction or relaxation.
01:31Regulation of Heart Rates
The SNS increases heart rate through the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine, which act on beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart. This action increases the rate of depolarization in the sinoatrial (SA) node, the heart's...
01:23Antihypertensive Drugs: Vasodilators
01:27Regulation of the Cardiovascular System
The regulation of the cardiovascular system involves the autonomic nervous system (ANS), baroreceptors, and chemoreceptors, ensuring that heart rate and blood pressure are appropriately modulated in response to varying physiological demands.
The ANS comprises two main divisions: the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system enhances...
01:23Physiological Control of Respiration
Breathing, a seemingly passive process, is regulated by the respiratory center in the brainstem. This center coordinates the involuntary control of respirations, which means it occurs without conscious effort, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted pattern.
Regulation of Ventilation
The body maintains ventilation by monitoring levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), oxygen (O2), and hydrogen ion concentration (pH) in the arterial blood. Among these factors, the level of CO2 plays a crucial...