Astrocytes are responsive to endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF).

The effects of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), which produces nitric oxide (NO) spontaneously, on cultured astrocytes prepared from cerebra of rat embryos were examined. EDRF produced by vascular endothelial cells in response to bradykinin stimulation, caused a significant rise in cyclic GMP levels of astrocytes. SNP also increased cyclic GMP levels of astrocytes in a dose-dependent way. These results revealed for the first time unambiguously that astrocytes are responsive to EDRF.